The Choices We Make
by MonaGirl
Summary: It was the perfect plan to get rid of the hated Graysons once and for all. But when Emily loses her memory through a tragic event, she is forced to put up with her past again... This is my own take on what happened with Emily after the shooting. Beta/translation by candyshark.
1. Survival

"I'm sorry...!"

... were her last words before a gunshot broke the calm of the mild August night and drilled a bullet into her body. In disbelief, she stared at the shooter, then down to herself, where a red spot quickly spread on her white bridal gown. The force of the bullet hurled her against the railing, where she lost balance and plunged backwards into the foaming waters.

For a moment she remained paralyzed on the surface, right before the next wave pulled her down. _But I did not fight this long, to be now swallowed up by the ocean,_ she thought. She was Emily Thorne, or better Amanda Clarke, a survival fighter. But fighting against the forces of nature was not easy. Relentlessly, the waves rolled forward, swallowing up everything that stood in their way. Emily tried to keep herself on the surface, but she plunged deeper and deeper, felt salt in her mouth and in her lungs. But coughing was useless, she knew that. If she gave in to the urge to breathe, she would drown. And what would remain?

She noticed how the water turned red beside her, but she felt no pain. The cold had a numbing effect. _Where'd he hit me?_ As she fought against the waves, she tried to touch the place where blood seemed to be leaking, but it mingled with the water too quickly, so that she could not find the bullet hole. Her dress was soaked with blood and water, she needed to get rid of it. Although she barely had any strength left, she tried to reach her back and pulled around the mother-of-pearl buttons, until she felt that she was free. A wave captured the dress, lifted it up and then devoured it completely. _Would the dress be washed up at the coast? Would someone find it? And how long would it take to find me?_ With every wave rolling over her, she felt her strength fading at an alarming rate. But she could not and would not give up. Everything she had fought for all these years would have been for nothing. Closing her eyes, she allowed the waves carry her body. _The plan! What was the plan again?_ She tried to focus and heard Aiden's voice in her mind...

 _''... Before you go to the yacht, I sneak on board and deposit the weapon you bought on Victoria's name. Then I hide and wait until ten past nine sharp. Then you'd have to be near the buoy. You start with the slideshow. After that, you have to take care of Victoria leaving the room. I'll lock her in and wait for the gunshots. Don't forget to spread the blood sample on deck. This way it's even more believable that Victoria shot you. Jump over board and swim to the buoy. There is a box with a mini diving equipment. Follow the stream until you reach the beach. I'll wait for you there."_

The buoy! That was it. She needed to swim to the buoy! She let herself drift on the stream for a while before she finally discovered the buoy. But her powers had diminished and now she couldn't manage to lift the box. Desperate and with last strength, she clung tightly to the buoy and hoped for a miracle.

Suddenly, she remembered the tracking device. Just before the wedding, Aiden had given her a garter with the tracking device. That was her last chance! She groped downwards and gasped with relief when she discovered that it was still attached to the garter. With force, she pressed the button and leaned her head against the cool metal of the buoy. She closed her eyes and thought of Amanda, who had found her last rest in the sea. Would she suffer the same fate? Would they be united again, as they had been in the youth detention center before they had exchanged their identities? If there was such a thing as fate, Emily hoped it would know what it was doing. With this comforting thought she let go and let herself be carried away by the waves back into the wide ocean...

* * *

 ** _I made a teaser trailer for the fanfic._ _Because it's not allowed to link youtube videos, if you are interested, just type my channel name into the youtube search window: LexzieGirl_ **


	2. Blame

A bang, so loud it left him breathless. A piercing scream, it almost split his eardrum. Breathing heavily and drenched in sweat, he woke up. Slowly he realized, it must've been him who screamed, because everything else was quiet around him; except the ticking of the alarm clock next to his bed. With trembling hands he grabbed the clock and let himself fall back on his bed, exhausted. It was 4am and not the first sleepless night. This has been going on for a week now. And every time the sound of a gunshot catapulted him back to reality. A reality he still wasn't able to process. The memory of August 8th, his wedding day, hung like the sword of Damocles above him. Seven long days and nights and still nothing. Emily Grayson, nee Thorne, his wife, had disappeared without a trace. He looked at the nightstand where the ring lay, which she had given him at the wedding ceremony and sworn him eternal love.

What a farce! Ruffling his sweaty hair, he sat up. His mother was right. _Emily used me to take revenge on my family,_ he thought bitterly. And she had played the role of the beloved girlfriend, fiance and wife perfectly. Her acting skills were amazing. He had fallen for her tricks, and now he had to suffer for her sins. Oh, the irony!

Sighing, he stood up and grabbed a shirt that hung over a chair next to his bed. He needed something cool to get a clear head again. A beer would be perfect now, but he rejected this thought immediately. He did not fight so long and so hard against his alcohol addiction, just to slide back into old habits. He entered the kitchen and was surprised that he was not alone. His sister Charlotte was standing by the refrigerator, holding a carton of milk in her hands. Her facial expression changed when she noticed him.

"Daniel!" She put the carton down and went up to him. "You can't sleep either?"

He hated to see her pitying look. As if he were the victim, not the perpetrator. But nobody knew anything about his double life, yet. The nightmares were a clear indication that his subconscious blamed him for what happened on that day in August. As much as he tried to persuade himself that everything was Emily's fault, he had been the one who held the gun in his hands and pulled the trigger. He had murdered his own wife in cold blood!

"Daniel?"

He looked up, directly into the anxious eyes of his sister. "It's so hot," he uttered weakly. "I just wanted to get something to drink."

"You had one of those nightmares again?"

Astonished, he looked at his sister. She knew about it? But of course she knew it. If there was someone from the Grayson family who was close to him, it was Charlotte. She was probably the only one who always understood him. He remembered how she had come to him and told him about her pregnancy, not wanting to tell her mother or father; she had come to him, entrusted to him what tormented her. Sighing, he reached for a bottle of water and a glass. Maybe it was time to entrust to her, too.

"It's because of Emily, am I right?"

He nodded. "It's been a week and still no trace of her." He let the water run into the glass and took a sip. "The wedding dress was washed up, but it seems as if the ocean had swallowed her." While he said this sentence, he was aware that he wanted nothing more than Emily to be found. Even if it meant that he would probably be brought behind bars for attempted murder. But he would rather go to jail than to feel guilty for the rest of his life.

"The police should have brought Lydia to justice for what she had done to Emily!" Charlotte said furiously. "Instead, they gave her a reward!"

"What?" Confused, Daniel glanced at her. His thoughts had been about Emily again. _When will it stop?_

"Lydia Davis," Charlotte repeated. "Giving her money to keep her silence and allow her to leave the country was not right. She should have gone to jail!"

"She didn't do it..." The sentence was out before he could stop it.

"What do you mean by that?" Charlotte asked, wondering. "How do you know?"

"I..." He took a deep breath. Maybe now was the right time to entrust himself to someone. Maybe he'd be able to sleep in peace again. "Because... I did it," he confessed.

Charlotte looked at him in utter disbelief. "You did... what?"

"I killed Emily."

"Oh, Daniel..." Quickly, Charlotte hurried to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "You never could do that! You only feel guilty because you were too drunk to prevent what Lydia did. I know you were with us downstairs when someone shot her. You just had learned that Sara had tried to take her own life. Do you remember?" She plucked at his shirt. "You mustn't blame yourself. There was nothing you could have done to prevent the catastrophe. You loved her!"

He freed himself from her grip. "You don't understand, Charlotte!" he exclaimed in despair. "I wanted to..."

"Daniel!"

He went silent when he saw his mother entering the kitchen. Her countenance was calm, but he knew that she had overheard the conversation. "Mom, I..," he began, but was silenced when she made a gesture with her hand.

"I want to talk to Daniel, alone," she said, turning to her daughter.

Charlotte obeyed without resistance. It was better to follow the rules when she didn't want to deal with the consequences.

"What did you hear?" he asked after Charlotte had left the room.

"Everything." Victoria grabbed a glass and poured herself some water. "But it's nothing I didn't know before, if that's what worries you." She puckered her lips to a hinted smile. "You should know that I leave nothing to chance. What do you think why I have suggested to your father to get rid of his little... slut?"

"You knew Lydia was innocent and still wanted to extradite her to the police for murder?" he asked, stunned.

Victoria shrugged. "She was smart enough to accept my generous offer. She has enough money now to build a new life elsewhere." She sighed theatrically and went towards him. "I knew you were overhearing my conversation with Emily on the yacht. I saw you. That's why I confronted her with the truth. I wanted you to know what a scheming and sneaky little bitch she was. I'm sorry you had to learn that way, that she lied to you about the pregnancy."

"You knew...?" He stopped in the middle of the sentence, bewildered. For a week he had lived with the guilt of killing his wife, and his mother had known the whole time.

She nodded. "I heard the gunshot and knew it was you. And I went to your father and told him about it. Yet, that makes no difference. What you did remains our little family secret. Do you understand?"

It was no request, it was an order. And though he felt such a relief, to stop lying, he didn't want to follow his mother's rules. "I killed an innocent human being!" he panted out. "Maybe it's so easy for you and dad to cover up a murder, but I can't and won't live with that guilt!" He turned to go. "Tomorrow, I'll go to the police and turn myself in!" he said.

"You won't!" Victoria hurried after him and took hold of his arm. "Your father broke things off with Lydia to set you free. It's over, Daniel. Nobody will ever suspect you for killing your wife!"

"I know it, you know it, Dad, Charlotte..." He broke off and shook his head. "Emily... If she's still alive."

"She's dead, Daniel." Victoria pinched his shoulder gently. "It's been a week. You know what they say... What the sea once devoured is no longer there. And if it's not the sea," she added quietly, "then it's the sharks that..."

"Stop It!" He pressed his hands against his temples. "I don't want to hear it!" The mere thought that Emily had fallen prey to a shark, was just too much to bear for him. He had to get out of here!

"Don't do anything rash. Daniel! Promise me..."

He heard the warning in her voice as he stormed out of the kitchen, ran up the stairs and opened the door to his bedroom. Breathing heavily, he sat down on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes. He would never forget the moment, as she had stood in front of him on the deck of the yacht. She had looked beautiful in her white wedding dress, eyes wide open and a faint apology on her lips. He opened his eyes abruptly, grabbed the wedding ring, and read the engraving:

 _"Forever and Ever"... Emily_

Slowly, he let himself fall back on his pillow, while he still clutched the ring. Forever and ever, infinite, everlasting, beyond death... He didn't want to believe in his mother's theory that Emily's body had disappeared forever. And certainly not that she had become the victim of a shark. Sooner or later the sea would set her free. _Or maybe she managed to swim ashore and was still alive._ This thought comforted him and gave him some rest. He closed his eyes and slipped into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Lie

**Malé, Capital of Maldives – August 20**

Aiden made sure that Emily was still asleep before he left the beach house and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. The call was long overdue. Almost two weeks had passed since the wedding, which had ended in a bloodbath. Even though it had been part of the plan, to make it look like that, their plan had nothing to do with reality. And the reality was that Emily had been severely injured. Still it was a miracle, he keeps asking himself how she was able to survive the attack. The bullet had not damaged any vital organs, but a head injury and the hours she had been in the cold water, had taken a toll on her. 'Retrograde amnesia' was the medical term. In fact, it meant that Emily could not remember anything that had happened before or on the day of her wedding. She couldn't even remember getting married at all. And she hadn't even recognized him. It was like as if someone had pressed the delete button on a computer.

Sighing, Aiden pressed the stored number key and waited for the caller to pick up the phone.

 _"Aiden?!"_

"Nolan... nice to hear your voice! Before you start with accusations, hear me out! … Emily is with me and she's fine."

 _"Where are you?"_

"On the Maldives, as planned," he said, but that was a lie. Emily wasn't fine. He just didn't want to upset his friend.

 _"So that means the plan went well?"_

Aiden heard doubt in Nolan's voice, and that was the moment he stopped lying, for now. "Not exactly," he admitted. "Someone shot Emily before she could finish the plan."

 _"What?!"_

"Everything is under control. She was just... slightly injured." Another lie.

 _"Can I speak to her?"_

"She's sleeping." Aiden was glad he didn't have to lie about that. Too much was at stake once Nolan knew about Emily's actual condition. He acted like a hen when it came to her well-being.

 _"I hear a lie even through the phone. Don't take me for an idiot, Mathis! Tell me what really happened."_

Sighing, Aiden finally reported to Nolan what really had happened on the yacht and later after her rescue. And this time he didn't leave anything out.

 _"Oh, my God! And you're just calling me now!? She could have died!"_

"Do you think I don't know? She was damn lucky. If I hadn't been locating the tracker so fast... I don't know what would have happened."

 _"And she doesn't know who had shot her and why?"_

"I told you she is suffering from amnesia," he said. "She can't remember anything. She doesn't even know that she's married."

 _"This will hurt Danny-boy for sure, that she can't even remember him. But tell me, how does she explain the wedding ring on her finger?"_

Aiden sighed on the inside. "I packed it away in a safe place. I think it's too soon to confront her with her past." He hesitated for a moment before he continued to speak. "So instead, I put my engagement ring on her finger. She thinks she's engaged to me."

 _"Oh, wow! Smart move, Mathis. Let's hope she doesn't regain her memory too quickly. That's bigamy!"_

"I wasn't going to marry her, Nolan! At least not yet."

 _"What else did you tell her?"_

"That her name is Amanda Ross."

 _"Oh yes... the fake passports. Very thoughtful. I'm proud of you."_

"It's no fun lying to her, all right?! It's a necessity. The doctor said she had to remember everything on her own. Pressure should be avoided. That's the only way she can remember who had shot her." He inhaled deeply before he continued speaking. "There's still something you should know... The final medical examination at the hospital has revealed that she..."

"Aiden?"

Startled, he looked up and almost dropped his cell phone. Emily stood in front of him and looked at him with big, questioning eyes. She had her arm in a sling to take the pressure off of the gunshot wound.

"Who is on the phone?"

He moistened his dry lips. "Nolan Ross," he said slowly. "Your.. brother."

"Oh." She looked at him in confusion. "I have a brother?"

Aiden tried to ignore Nolan's hysterical shouts in the background. Another lie. He pressed the phone to his ear. „Nolan? I have to hang up. I'll get back to you." He put the cell phone back into his pocket.

"Where does Nolan live?"

Aiden closed his eyes. It was too early, far too early, to bring her back to the States and confront her with her past. He knew it had to happen sooner or later, they couldn't hide in the Maldives forever. Smiling, he went towards her, ignoring her question. "You shouldn't be wandering around without me," he said softly. „The doctor ordered rest."

She carefully snuggled up to him. "I woke up and you were gone. I would never walk alone without you."

Surprised, he glanced at her. This delicate, fragile person had nothing in common with the Emily he had known before. Amnesia had not only wiped out her memory, it also changed her personality. He gently touched her arm. "Let's go back to bed, Amanda," he said quietly. "It's still too early to get up."

"Amanda... Amanda Ross," she muttered to herself. She spoke those words with ease, but something didn't feel right, something she couldn't put her finger on. It was more of an instinct. She looked up at him. _Who is this man who claims to be my fiance? Is he trustworthy? And who hated me so much, that they wanted to kill me?_ Unanswered questions swirled in her head, but as much as she tried to remember, she wasn't able to put the pieces together. When they reached the beach house, she had come to a decision.

"Bring me back!" she demanded firmly. "Bring me back to the place where it all started."


	4. Choice

**Malé, Capital of the Maldives – August 24th**

It was just before sunrise when Aiden rose from the bed and left the beach house. He walked along the beach for quite a while before he finally dropped into the still warm sand and opened his cell phone. He typed in Nolan's number hastily and prayed he would be reachable.

 _"Yes?"_

"Nolan?" Irritated, Aiden frowned over the formal greeting.

 _"In the flesh... wait a minute..."_

Aiden uttered a faint sigh. Waiting was the last thing he had patience for. He had to finish the phone call before Emily woke up and realized that she was alone in the beach house.

 _"I'm not alone, if you get what I mean... "_

"Spare me the details of your love life! Look, I'm really in trouble!"

 _"What's the matter?"_

"Emily wants to go back to the States," Aiden came straight to the point. "She believes her memory will return when she is back in her familiar environment."

 _"She might be right."_

"That's not the only thing that can happen. And I'm not saying this for selfish reasons," he added. "As long as it's not sure who had shot her, she's in danger!"

 _"Lydia Davis has disappeared."_

"What do you mean?"

 _"I mean nothing with it. I just noticed. Isn't it strange that shortly after Emily's disappearance, she disappears, too?"_

"You think she was the shooter?"

 _"I don't know. But at least it's a strange coincidence."_

"Indeed..."

 _"But the way it looks, the police will probably not go any further. Patrick entrusted me that Victoria and Conrad wanted to have Emily declared dead."_

"They have no time to spare."

 _"You have to understand that. No one knows what happened. There were witnesses, namely the ship's crew, who heard a gunshot and saw someone go over board, but the associated weapon is missing, just like the body. They found blood on deck and a piece of veil from the dress hung on the railing. The Coast Guard had been looking for her for hours, but it was all in vain. The police assume that the sharks had done all the work. So they canceled the search. Moreover, each of the guests on the yacht had an alibi."_

"But one must have shot her and then covered up the deed! And Emily is the only one who knows the perpetrator... if her memory will ever return..."

 _"What you're trying to prevent."_

"Don't give me a bad conscience, Nolan!"

 _"The chances that she will remember again, are greater when you come back with her. Perhaps her sudden appearance lures the shooter out of his reserve, and he betrays himself... if it wasn't Lydia Davis."_

"Maybe. But she's not ready for it yet. Besides, I don't know how to explain to her why I lied to her all the time," said Aiden." I love her, Nolan. I don't want to lose her again."

 _"But you can't keep her away from everything in the long run. Sooner or later she will become suspicious."_

"She already is. She didn't respond positively to my request to remain on the island for a while longer."

 _"There you are! It may be nice to feed on coconuts and papayas for a while, but at some point in time you want to have a real steak on your plate."_

"Spare the sarcasm, Nolan! If everything had gone according to plan, then this would have become our home. No one would have looked for us with our new identities. Emily and I could have been happy here."

 _"I know and I'm sorry... for you and also for Emily. But since plan A failed, we need a backup plan. And if you ask me, this will only work if she regains her memory. I know Emily. She won't rest until she gets what she wants. And in this case, it's her old identity."_

"You're right," Aiden admitted. "She's wondering who hated her so much and wanted to kill her. I wish I had an answer. But when we go back, she will automatically be in danger. It could be anyone on the yacht."

 _"Don't worry. We're here to protect her. It would be best if she moved in with me. Then I can keep an eye on her and follow any of her steps."_

"Sounds like a plan. But only if you accept me as a roommate, too."

 _"Of course. My home is your home. Is there anything else I can do?"_

"Could you rent a plane and fly to us? I'm going to give you the exact whereabouts later. I should go back to Emily... I mean... Amanda and prepare her for her brother's arrival."

 _"Not really your strongest idea, but fine... I'm going to take the next plane. Maybe my appearance will give her a clue and she will remember things again."_

"I'll send you the address by mail. Oh, and one more request, Nolan. You have the spare key to the beach house. Could you bring some clothes for her to wear? Currently she is wearing only such changing cloth dresses. But so far, it hasn't yet been necessary to appear in public."

 _"Sure. I'll get it all. Do you think it would be wise to warn the Graysons that their beloved daughter-in-law is alive?''_

"Not yet. I want to prepare Emily first. This may take a while. Fly to us, then we'll see. I have to hang up now. See you around!" He put his cell phone in his pocket and went back to the beach house.


	5. Loss

**Maldives, beach house**

When Emily woke up, she felt something sticky on her face. She sat up, jerkily, and opened her eyes. "Oh my God!", she exclaimed, when she realized the sticky stuff, that was spread over the blanket, her hands, and the face, was blood. At first, she thought her wound was burst open again, but she quickly realized that it was dripping from her nose. _Probably still a result of the fall,_ she thought, as she leaned to the side of the nightstand and began to rummage through the drawer for handkerchiefs. But the drawer was empty, except for a small box in the rearmost corner. She had to go to the bathroom! There were washcloths and towels, which could stop the bleeding. Quickly, she jumped out of bed. Too fast, because an intense dizziness hit her, and just in time she managed to get to the bathroom, before she collapsed in front of the sink. Dazed, she reached for a towel, tore it off the hook, and tried to stop the nose-bleeding.

 _What's wrong with me?_ She had been dizzy and sick for days. The doctor had said that she would have to fight with the symptoms of her head injury for a while, but now more than two weeks had passed. She was about to get better. She had tried to hide her weakness from Aiden. He was already worried enough anyway. But gradually, she was worried, too. She still couldn't remember anything. And Aiden wasn't helping either. She had begged him to tell her more about her past, but he had refused to give her exact details. Supposedly, the doctor had said it would endanger the recovery process if she remembered too quickly. It could lead to an overload in her brain, followed by a permanent damage. She was not a doctor or an expert in the field, but even for her, as a layman, the whole thing seemed implausible.

Slowly, she rose from the floor and went back to the bedroom. The bleeding had stopped. Now she had to take care of the blood splatters, which were everywhere. As she bent over the bed to peel off the sheets, her gaze fell automatically to the drawer, which was still open. Magnetically attracted and full of curiosity, what my be inside, she reached grabbed the small box. Opening the lid, she looked amazed at the two rings that lay there: one narrow and golden, the other decorated with a dazzling diamond. No doubt, this piece of jewelry was of great value. Reaching for the golden ring, she frowned at the engraving:

 _"Forever and ever"... Daniel_

"Amanda?"

Aiden had entered the bedroom unnoticed.  
Frightened, she flinched, dropping the ring in the process, that fell from the bed to the floor and disappeared under the nightstand.

"What are you doing?"

Quickly, she bent down and pulled out the ring from under the nightstand.

"Who is Daniel?" she asked while holding the jewelry out to Aiden.

 **Emily's beach house, Hamptons**

It was the first time since the fateful events of August 8th, when Daniel went back to the beach house. He didn't know why, but something attracted him, almost magnetically. He slowly went up the stairs and put the key into the lock. For a moment he hesitated before opening the door and then entering. Immediately, he perceived the familiar smell of Emily's perfume that filled the entire interior, and he felt a painful pull in his chest. Memories were suddenly awakened; it was a time, back then when he had lived with her and been happy. He had loved her and believed that Emily had been returning his love. Only a few days before the marriage, he had split up with Sara, because he had felt ready to settle down with Emily and their baby. He had given up everything because he had had the hopes of becoming a better father and husband than his own father had ever been. And now he stood there, right in the shards of his existence. He had lost everything; his faith, his hope, a baby that had never existed, and Emily, for whom he had become a murderer.

He shook his head slightly, as though he was able to suppress the gloomy thoughts, but the house kept too many memories. Mechanically, he went up the stairs to the bedroom. Everything was unchanged, the bed tidy. Memories flashed through his head – how they had made passionate love in those sheets. Had everything been a sham? Softly moaning, he sat down on the bed and reached for her pillow. He knew it had been wrong to come back here. He should have listened to his mother, who had advised him to forget about her. But this was not as easy as he could see now, as he pressed the pillow against his face and sucked in her scent. Emily had been the love of his life. How could he forget everything so quickly? Just now, at this place where he had been happy, he realized what he really had lost. And suddenly he wished he could undo what he had done.

He had not planned to harm her. He had only been too drunk and emotionally hurt, to verbally deal with her. The gun had been lying in front of him. He had automatically taken it, and pulled the trigger. He hadn't even consciously targeted, and yet there had been so much blood all of a sudden. Her beautiful white dress... ruined forever. Her young life... terminated...

Hastily, he pushed the pillow away and jumped up. He shouldn't be here. The memories haunted him. He was about to go downstairs when he heard a noise from the front door. _Emily,_ it flashed through his mind. Could it be that she had returned? Had she survived the attack? He felt his heart beating fast with excitement as he ran downstairs. But there, in the entrance area, was not his missing wife, but...

"Nolan?"

 **Maldives, beach house**

Aiden took a deep breath before he slowly moved to Emily and took the ring from her hands. The time had come to reveal part of the truth to her.

"Daniel Grayson...," he began hesitantly. "He is the publisher of the lifestyle magazine 'Voulez' and heir to Grayson-Global, an investment company." He looked at her for a moment, waiting to see if the name might trigger something and continued when he got no reaction. "He lives with his family in the Hamptons on Long Island."

Emily nodded. It made perfect sense that this dazzling ring belonged to someone who was wealthy. But it still didn't explain how Aiden had come into possession of the rings.

As if Aiden had guessed her question, he went on with a lie. "Daniel is a good friend of mine. His wife had left him recently and had returned the wedding and engagement ring. I took the rings, so that he's not constantly reminded of her and the failure of his marriage."

"I'm sorry. I mean... for Daniel. I don't know him, but it must be difficult for him to lose his beloved wife."

Aiden suppressed a sigh. She could not know how close she had come to the truth. "She never loved him", the words slipped out, before he could stop them. He knew immediately that it had been a mistake.

"You know his ex-wife?"

He nodded mutely.

"Where is she living now?" Emily asked curiously.

"I have no idea," he lied and rose from the bed. He had enough of Emily's interrogation. The more she asked, the more difficult it was for him to stick to the truth. He wanted to wait for Nolan, to discuss with him how to prepare Emily for her return to the Hamptons. But this proved to be more and more difficult.

"Did they have children?"

He reached for the bloody towel and noticed that his hands were slightly trembling. "Are you hurt?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Just a little nose bleeding. I just wanted to pull off the sheets when you came in," she said.

"Are you hungry? I'm going to make us breakfast." He wanted to turn away to go to the kitchen, when Emily stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"You haven't answered my last question yet." She looked at him expectantly.

He turned to her slowly. "No," he said softly, not even knowing whether he was lying.

He remembered the conversation with Emily's doctor, who had confided to him that they had found hormones in her blood that indicated a pregnancy. An ultrasound examination had confirmed the suspicion. Emily was 8 weeks pregnant. At first he had been shocked, but then he had been a little happy. At least as long as he remembered, that Emily had not only had sexual contact with him in the weeks before August 8th. The only question was, had she used protection when she had been with Daniel? He was quite sure, because it would have been the last thing she wanted. He was also convinced that Emily had no idea of her condition, when she had given Daniel the fake ultrasound photo. _What an irony of fate._ It was a miracle that the bullet had missed the embryo.

And now he was sitting here, not knowing how to tell her that she was probably expecting a child from the man, whose family she had wanted to destroy. He tried to comfort himself with the idea that the chances were 50:50 that the baby was his. This was also the information he had given to the doctor. They were engaged. The question of paternity was clear. And he had given the doctor the promise, he would immediately inform his fiance about her condition as soon as she was better. But he had doubts whether the baby was really his. After all, he and Emily had always been careful when they were intimate with each other. He looked up and saw her pensive stare.

"Luckily," she said. "It's always sad when children have to grow up with only one parent."

He looked at her in amazement. Could she suddenly remember? But her facial expressions seemed neutral. Perhaps it was something in her subconsciousness that told her she knew that feeling. After all, most of her childhood she had been raised by only one parent before the Graysons had taken her father away.

He caressed her cheek softly. "I'm making us breakfast now." With these words he stood up, leaving a thoughtful Emily behind.


	6. Fear

**Emily's beach house, Hamptons**

Nolan didn't want to reveal how shocked he was about Daniel's appearance. He was the last he had expected. But, of course, it made sense, because after Emily's alleged death, the beach house belonged to him. And this included all its content, for example, her clothes, the reason why he had come here at all.

"Daniel... Hi...," was everything he could say, even though he usually had a quick tongue.

"What are you doing here?"

 _A legitimate question,_ Nolan thought. Unlike Daniel, who was the owner of the beach house, he didn't have any reason to be here.

"I just wanted to ask you the same," he said.

"I wanted ... I don't know... I... I should go..."

Nolan saw Daniel nervously ruffle his hair as he struggled to formulate a logical sentence. He felt compassion for the young man all of a sudden who had lost everything in such a short time. Even though he had helped Emily with her plan to destroy the Graysons, he had always been convinced that Daniel Grayson had been a victim of his parents' scheming. He hadn't been responsible for David Clarke's arrest and assassination. He was as old as Emily, an innocent child. And yet she had used him to sneak into his family, so she could carry out her plan. She really hadn't stopped at nothing. Nolan remembered how often he had warned her that one day someone would find out about her plan. And that was exactly what had happened. Someone had learned that she was playing a double game and tried to stop her.

"Wait..." He took a step towards Daniel and carefully placed his hand on his shoulder. "I haven't had the opportunity to tell you how sorry I am. Emily was a good friend of mine, too." How easily the lie came over his lips, astonished even him. "I used to be in the beach house very often, as you know", he tried to explain. "I walked on the beach today and somehow landed here." He shrugged. "The door was open. I was just curious." He inhaled deeply. "I don't know if it's just me, but I feel as if she's still here. If you understand what I mean?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, you can feel it all over the house," he said softly, then looked up. "My parents are planning to give a commemoration for Emily. Since they haven't found her body, she can't have a common funeral. As one of Emily's best friends... would you attend? "

Nolan was moved by Daniel's words, but at the same time his bad conscience troubled him. He could clearly see how bad the young man was suffering about the loss. And he wished he could tell him that Emily was still alive. But he had promised Aiden to keep quiet until he had prepared her for the return. "When will the commemorations take place?", he asked.

"On September 1st. It takes a few more days until all the formalities are settled."

Nolan looked around. "What's going to happen with all of this?," he pried.

"The beach house?" Daniel shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. I'd like to keep it, but there are so many memories..." He canceled the sentence midway and shook his head. "I think it's better to sell it."

A spontaneous plan formed in Nolan's head. "If you agree, I'd like to buy it", he suggested. He held his breath for a moment, but when Daniel nodded, he exhaled slowly. He could save Emily's home. Even if she lived with him for the time being, he was convinced that she wanted to go back to the beach house sooner or later. After all, this was the place where she had grown up and lived the last few years.

"Great! It's best to come to me so we can sort out the details." Surprised, he looked up as Daniel pushed the key into his hand.

"Here! Take it! I'm done with everything anyway."

 _It was easier than imagined_ , Nolan thought with a smile, as he watched Daniel walking back to Grayson Manor.

 **Maldives, beach house**

Desperately, Emily clung to the toilet seat while she threw up violently, almost passing out. She pressed against the bandage, which was below her chest, then stared in shock at the blood in her hand. She tried to sit up, but failed. "Aiden?!" she cried desperately, knowing he was still in the kitchen. But she couldn't hold on any longer.

He rushed into the bathroom and took her into his arms carefully.

"I think the wound has opened up," she said, groaning, still holding her hands firmly pressed against the bandage.

He nodded after a quick examination. "I don't have a first aid kit, otherwise I'd have stitched the wound myself. I'll take you to the hospital!"

Without resistance, she allowed him to lift her up and carry her to the car they had rented.

"How could this happen?" He carefully put her into the back seat.

"I don't know. After the breakfast, I felt sick all of a sudden." She inhaled frantically. "I still feel sick."

"We need about half an hour to the nearest hospital," he said. "Do you think you can make it by then?"

Emily nodded. "I don't have a choice, now haven't I?"

"Press your hand to the wound!" Aiden ordered before he started the car. "It works like a pressure band."

Emily did as commanded. And though she had pressed her hand firmly on her wound the whole drive, a pool of blood had already formed near her in the back seat. "Aiden..."

He turned quickly. "Oh God...!" he gasped out, as he saw the blood dripping slowly from the edge of the back seat to the floor. "Hold on, all right? There are only a few miles to the hospital. "

"I don't know... I can't..."

When her voice was only a whisper and then died, he knew, without turning around, that she had lost consciousness. It was not only Emily's life that was at stake, but also that of the unborn child. _I have to save them both,_ he kept repeating over and over, as he pressed down the gas pedal and prayed for a miracle.


	7. Rescue

**Hamptons, Grayson Manor**

When Daniel entered the main house, he was already expected by Victoria, his mother.

"Where have you been?," she asked sharply.

Daniel hated it when she sounded like a dictator, even though he knew it was her usual way to deal with people. "Over at the beach house," he replied, reluctantly.

"And can you tell me the reason why you were there?"

Annoyed, he raised an eyebrow. "I'm an adult, mom! I don't need a babysitter!"

"Grown-up enough to make your own mistakes."

Her gibe hit him deeply, and he tried to justify himself. "For which I would take responsibility, if you'd let me!"

"Your father is right." Slowly she walked around him. "You are nothing but ungrateful! After all, he saved you from going to jail. And how do you thank him? "

"I didn't ask for it. But that you and dad are agree over something, I should mark red in my calendar. "

"Save your sarcasm, Daniel! You're not in the position for that."

He swallowed the remark that lay on his tongue. He knew she was right. Just one false word and he would go to jail. And it was not the first time he'd been convicted. He had once targeted and shot a man, only with the difference that Tyler had not died by his bullet at the time, but by another.

"So, are you going to tell me now what you wanted at the beach house?" Victoria resumed the conversation.

He couldn't reveal his true reasons to her. She would call him an idiot. He didn't understand either. Perhaps it was the need to be near her again; smell her perfume, touch her stuff. It still seemed unreal to him that she would never return to this place. If the day had taken another turn, they would be honeymooning in Paris. He didn't know why he had to think about it now. But since he'd been in the beach house, he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't overheard the conversation between Emily and his mother. _Would we have been happy, in spite of her lies? Could we have a shared future? Or was my mother right and Emily had only feigned her love? Was anything real about our relationship?_ He had no answers to the questions. He only knew that he had been serious, when he vowed his eternal love to her in front of the altar.

"Daniel!"

Startled, he looked up. He'd been so engrossed in this daydream that he'd totally forgotten his mother's question. "I sold the beach house to Nolan Ross," he said quickly. Watching his mother's facial expression changing, he could see that she was not particularly enthusiastic about the news.

"Why did you sell the beach house? I thought you had plans to move back in there."

"Are you going to kick me out?"

"Of course not! Don't be silly." She rolled her eyes. "But I can remember that you mentioned you wanted to keep it for yourself."

 _Yes, that was the plan,_ he thought bitterly. Before he had entered the house and had to deal with the memories. It was better this way. He would never be able to live in the beach house, with the constant remembrance of her and what he had done to her.

"I told him about the commemoration. He'll come," he said.

"Well, how lovely. At least one who will honestly shed tears," she said spitefully.

"Mom!"

"All right." She raised her hands apologetically. "I think it's no secret that Emily was not my first choice for a daughter-in-law. Sara on the other hand... "

"Stop it! Don't start again! And if I may remind you, Sara wasn't on your list for the perfect daughter-in-law either a few years ago."

"I've just changed my mind. This happens sometimes," she said shrugging. "But you have to admit that you chose the wrong woman. If you had decided for Sara, as I told you, Emily might be still alive. "

That's it, he'd had enough of her constant teasing. "You make me sick!," he yelled scornfully. "You are constantly trying to manipulate people on your own terms! You are _not_ God! And you can also save the effort of matchmaking! Whatever Sara and I had together... it's over! And as for Emily... " He inhaled deeply before he finished the sentence. "If you think about her that way, it might be better if you don't attend the commemoration!"

Perplexed, she looked after him as he suddenly turned away from her and ran upstairs to his room.

"I told you, didn't I," Conrad said, who had overheard the conversation from a corner of the room. "You can't play destiny as you like. He still loves her, no matter what happened before."

"Yes," she admitted, sighing. "Then she won. Even beyond death, she has the power to take everything away from me."

He tapped lightly on her shoulder. "You still have Patrick and Charlotte, who you can manipulate," he said, then turned away and went up the stairs smiling.

 **IGM Hospital, Malé**

Nervously, Aiden paced back and forth in the waiting room, waiting to get to know about Emily's condition. She had gone to the surgery immediately after her arrival in the hospital. The doctor, who had also operated on her the first time, was again under the surgical team. And Aiden had been relieved that he had not given too much details. A patient file already existed. His head jerked up as he saw the doctor coming.

"How is she?," he inquired anxiously.

"She's fine, given the circumstances." The doctor put the surgical mask off his face. "She lost a lot of blood. So we had to give her a blood transfusion. The wound was sewn again, and an ultrasound examination was made on account of the pregnancy. "

"Is the baby well?"

For the first time the doctor smiled. "It really is a miracle that the baby has remained intact this time. The mother was in a state of shock. This is often enough to trigger a miscarriage. But her child is really resistant. You rarely experience such a thing. "

Aiden exhaled with relief. Even if he couldn't be 100% sure that the baby was really his ... it didn't matter. It was crucial that Emily lived and the baby as well.

"May I see her?"

Slowly the doctor shook his head. "She's still on the intensive care unit. At least tonight we should give her some rest. If she's better tomorrow, we can move her to the normal station. She'll be under observation for the time being."

"How long does she have to stay in the hospital?"

"I can't promise anything at the moment," the doctor said. "We have to wait and see if there's any bleeding. But don't worry too much," he added comforting. "The worst part's over. She is in good hands here. If complications occur, we can quickly intervene." He patted Aiden lightly on the shoulder. "Go home and get some sleep. When your fiancee is awake, there'll be plenty of time."

"I wanted to fly back to the States with her," Aiden began hesitantly. "What do you think when this will be possible?"

"If no complications occur then perhaps in a week to ten days. But as I said, we have to wait and see how her recovery progresses. And if you go back with her, she should be given medical care there, too. "

"I'll get everything needed," Aiden promised, reaching out to the doctor's hand. "Thank you! You saved her and our child's life!"

"That's my job." The doctor smiled. "I'll call you if there's a change."

Aiden didn't like to leave her in the hospital. But he also knew that the doctor was right and he couldn't do much right now. Emily would sleep for a while and still needed rest. In the meantime he should prepare everything necessary for the return to the Hamptons. And he should call Nolan again and tell him about the changed situation. As soon as he had left the hospital, he pulled out his phone and began dialing Nolan's number.


	8. Truth

**IGM Hospital, Malé**

When Emily awoke, she needed a moment to orientate herself. But she quickly remembered what had happened and realized that she was in the hospital.

 _So I didn't die as I feared,_ she thought. She remembered all that blood and the feeling of weakening from minute to minute. But she had survived... again. Even though she was not particularly religious, it seemed as if someone was watching over her and didn't want her to die. She lifted her hand and saw the tube that led up from the back of her hand to a drip bottle. This sight was familiar to her. It was like the first time she had been taken to the hospital. She reached to her stomach and felt a thick bandage.

"Oh, you're awake!"

Emily tilted her head aside, and saw a young nurse, holding a drip bottle in her hand.

"I'll tell Dr. Kulani that you're awake."

She ran out before Emily could reply. It was not long before the doctor appeared in the room.

"Miss Ross? How are you?" he inquired in a matter-of-fact tone.

Emily cleared her throat before she could answer. "Fine," she croaked. "I live."

Dr. Kulani smiled. "Then my medical team did a good job."

As automatically, her hand reached for the bandage that covered her wound.

"No worries!" he said gently, noticing the gesture. "The baby is doing well."

Emily paused in the middle of her movement. "Baby?" she asked in confusion, looking at the doctor with wide eyes. "What baby?"

Dr. Kulani frowned, then reached for her medical file and read the last entries. "You don't know that you're pregnant?" he asked, surprised.

Emily shook her head mechanically.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Well, the last ultrasound examination has revealed that you are 10 weeks pregnant. Your fiance haven't told you yet?"

Again, she shook her head mutely. She was lost for words. The shock was too great.

 _How could it be that I'm pregnant and had not even noticed? And why hadn't Aiden told me if he had known all along?_ she thought.

"As I see, you really didn't know about your condition." Dr. Kulani looked at her empathetically. "I told your fiance two weeks ago, after the first examination. But he asked me not to tell you because he was afraid you were too weak. He wanted to tell you later, personally. Obviously he didn't do it."

Emily laid her hands on her stomach hesitantly. She couldn't believe that something was growing inside her. When she looked up at the doctor, she had tears in her eyes.

"I'll call your fiance and inform him that you're awake," Dr. Kulani said, lightly petting her hand. "Rest now. If needed, call the nurse."

Emily nodded with her hands still placed on her stomach. "And the baby... is it really doing well?" she asked hesitantly. The thought of becoming a mother was so strange, it felt unreal.

"He or she is doing well," Dr. Kulani confirmed. "Your fiance told me you were about to return to the States. I would recommend that you look for a doctor over there who can treat you further."

"My memories...," Emily said softly. "Will I ever remember again?"

The doctor cleared his throat before giving her an answer. "Frankly, the longer the amnesia persists, the chances that you will get your memory back completely, are slim. However, it may be that you can remember particular things. Some patients regain their memory fully; others have to wait years or decades. For some, a particular event can trigger a memory. Other patients have only the presence and the future. You see, there's no general rule. I think you should focus on the future. After all, you have a good reason to live for it."

After Dr. Kulani had left, Emily was still lying in her bed, her hands across her belly. She knew that the doctor was right. She should let the past rest and look ahead. But for some reason she couldn't do it. She was constantly asking herself who had shot her and why. Again and again, she had tried to remember, had tried to make sense of what Aiden had told her, but nothing made sense.

 _If I had been together with Aiden on the yacht, as he had told me, why hadn't he been on deck with me when the shooter had shot me? Where had he been? And who were the people who had celebrated with him on the yacht? What was the occasion for the celebration? And were they only friends of Aiden, or of me as well? Who was my enemy?_ Too many unanswered questions. Suddenly something occurred to her. Since she had been shot, they must have called the police, with involvement of the media. _But why was no one looking for me? Was that the reason why Aiden had brought me here, to hide me from the police? And if so, what was the reason?_

Her head began to throb painfully. Suddenly she felt an urge to find out more about herself. And it was not the first time she wondered, if it had been a mistake to trust the man who had claimed to be her fiance. She reached for the call button and pressed the red one. Immediately the little nurse appeared.

"I need a laptop!" Emily said, tersely. "Can you get me one?"

When Aiden entered the hospital a few hours later, Dr. Kulani already expected him.

"I need to talk to you... now!"

Confused and feeling troubled at the same time, Aiden followed the doctor to the his office and took a seat. "What happened? Is something wrong with Amanda?"

Before the doctor replied, he pressed a button on his computer and, when it was booted, pushed some keys and turned the screen to Aiden.

He held his breath for a moment when he saw what the doctor had found.

"That's her, right?" Dr. Kulani pointed to a news article. "She is the missing woman... Emily Grayson?"

Aiden stared at the article and then at the pictures that leaped to his eye: Emily on her wedding day, together with Daniel, holding her gently in his arms. "I... where... I mean... how did you...?"

Dr. Kulani interrupted him before he could finish his stammering. "She found it," he said curtly. "She asked the nurse to bring her a laptop. We are always willing to meet the needs of our patients, so we fulfilled her wish. Afterwards, she lost it completely, tried to rip the infusion out of her arm, and insulted the nurse when she forbade her to get up." He shook his head disapprovingly. "We were just able to hold her back from throwing the laptop against the wall."

Aiden was speechless. Apparently, Emily had regained her old fighting spirit. Perhaps her memory, too? "I-I don't know what to say," he stuttered. "I... I'm sorry."

"You should be!" Dr. Kulani shook his head, disapprovingly. "Why did you lie to her and told her she was your fiancee?"

"Because she _is_ my fiancee!" Aiden exclaimed. "I know I was not quite honest with her. But I just wanted to protect her."

"The article says that she's Emily Grayson, married to Daniel Grayson, a magazine publisher and heir to a big company. Now, who is lying to whom?"

Aiden jumped up from his chair. "I need to see her! I have to explain to her why I did it. The police hasn't found the shooter yet. If I had taken her to a hospital in NY, he'd probably have tried to kill her again. I have brought her here for her own safety. When I learned that she had lost her memory, I hadn't wanted to burden her unnecessarily with her past. Can't you understand?" he looked at the doctor pleadingly.

Dr. Kulani shook his head. "She has a right for the truth." He tapped on the screen. "Like her husband and his family. Do you realize what you did? This is called abduction and deprivation of freedom!"

"I did _not_ hold her against her will!" Aiden clarified. "You probably don't believe me, but we had plans, Emily and I. We were already a couple before, even though she got married to Daniel. She only entered into marriage for the sake of appearance. She wanted to be with me."

Dr. Kulani looked at him thoughtfully. "All that may be so, but you didn't have the right to abduct her and give her a false identity. She is not Amanda Ross, she is Emily Grayson."

"Actually, Amanda Clarke-Grayson", Aiden said, barely above a whisper.

"The baby she's expecting... Are you really the father?" Dr. Kulani continued with his interrogation.

Aiden closed his eyes for a moment. What was the matter of whether he was lying or telling the truth? "I don't know," he confessed.

Dr. Kulani nodded. "I thought so after reading the news article and seeing the pictures."

"Let me see her now... please!" Aiden begged.

"No." Dr. Kulani rose from his chair. "She asked me and the staff not to let you near her. She also asked me to contact the police. She wants to go back to the States as soon as possible, back to her husband and her family."

"The Graysons are _not_ her family!" Aiden protested. "She never wanted to be a part of this family! She hates the Graysons! I beg you, please let me see her! I'll talk to her and explain her everything."

"She is not interested in your explanations. She wants to go home." Dr. Kulani pointed to the door. "The conversation is over! And when you try to enter her room by force, I swear I'll call the police and have you arrested for abduction and deprivation of freedom! Did I make myself clear?"

Aiden nodded, stunned. He couldn't believe how the tables have turned. Mechanically he went outside and pulled his cell phone off his pocket. He had to report to Nolan about the changed situation before he could book a flight back to the Hamptons. Plan A had just as failed as the backup plan. What would the future bring, if there was any future with Emily at all? Crestfallen, he left the hospital and went to his car.


	9. Enlightenment

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

Daniel came back from jogging as he met two uniformed police officers outside the front door. His heart skipped a beat. Had the police found out that he had shot Emily? He forced himself to a friendly face and opened the door.

"May I ask what's the reason of your visit?" he inquired in a matter-of-fact tone.

One of the policemen, a bald-headed, slightly chunky man, pulled out his badge. "Officer Burton. This is my colleague Officer Thomson," he introduced. "We're coming from the NYPD's Special Forces, and want to speak to Mr. Daniel Grayson."

"That's me," Daniel said tightly. "Let's go inside. Then we can talk about the reason for your visit. "

Both officers nodded and followed him into the house.

"Please, take a seat!" Daniel gestured to the sofa. "What is it you want to talk about?" he asked hesitantly.

Officer Burton cleared his throat and quickly glanced over at his colleague who nodded approvingly. "Well, a few hours ago we were informed that your wife, Emily Grayson, nee Thorne, has been found. She is in a hospital in Malé, on the Maldives. We don't know much of her condition, only that she is alive."

Daniel sat on the sofa as if nailed, as he felt his heart beat frantically against his ribs. "She ... is alive?" he panted out after a moment of hesitation.

Officer Thomson nodded. "That she lives also means that we can finally cease the search for her. As for the search for the shooter ... " He shook his head slightly. "We still don't have any trace. But we are hopeful to get more information from your wife so that we can close the case."

He knew what that meant, but the relief that Emily had survived was greater than the fear of being exposed as the shooter. "Can I go to her?" he asked with a slightly trembling voice.

"As I said, she is in a hospital on the Maldives. Of course, you are free to fly there. The physician in charge has informed us that she's not yet in the condition to go on a long journey."

 _So her injuries were more severe than I assumed,_ Daniel thought. He jumped up from the sofa. "I'll take the business jet and fly to her!"

"Of course." Officer Burton nodded benevolently. "If you like, we'll drive you."

"I'm going to pack my stuff, be right back!" He ran up the stairs and pulled out a travel bag of the closet, hastily throwing some clothes inside. What he didn't have now, he could buy there for sure. There was no time to shower, so he just changed in a fresh shirt and a new pair of pants and ran downstairs again, where the police officers were already waiting for him. He was glad his parents had an appointment away from home, so that they couldn't stop him. He was already standing in the doorway when his sister came back from visiting her friend.

"Daniel ... what happened?" she asked worried and eyed the two officers skeptically.

"They've found Emily," he replied. He saw his sister turn pale. "Living," he added quickly. "She's alive, Char!"

"Oh my God! Do Mom and Dad already know? "

Daniel shook his head. "And I don't want them to know. Just tell them I'm staying with a friend when they ask where I am. "

"What friend?" Charlotte inquired.

"Make something up," he replied impatiently. "I have to go now." He gave his sister a squeeze. "I'll report back to you, as far as I know anything about Emily."

As he sat in the police car, on the way to the hangar, where the business jet stood, he wondered why Emily had not reported him to the police. Obviously the two police officers had no idea that they were sitting with a suspect in their car. He leaned back, closed his eyes and drove into an uncertain future.

 **IGM Hospital, Malé**

Hours had passed since Emily had spoken to the local police and asked them to contact the NYPD. She had told her version of what had happened since her disappearance, but she had not mentioned Aiden. After all, he had been the one who had saved her. For this she owed him. But she didn't want to see him again. He had lied to her all the time, had faked her identity. She didn't know why he had done it, but it didn't matter anyway. She would return home, and then, surely, she would regain her memory. She gently placed her hands on her stomach. It didn't matter who the father was. This baby belonged to her. She would raise it alone.

"Mrs. Grayson?"

Emily looked up as Dr. Kulani entered the room. "Emily," she corrected.

The doctor nodded. "As you wish. I came to bring you good news," he said excitedly. "A police officer from the NYPD Special Forces just called me. He's coming."

"Who's coming?" she asked, confused.

"Daniel Grayson, your husband." Dr. Kulani looked at her sympathetically." I can imagine how difficult it must be for you to be confronted with people you don't even know."

Emily nodded. "But it won't stop me from getting to know them," she smiled.

"I appreciate your positive attitude towards things," Dr. Kulani nodded satisfied. "You're an amazing young woman, Emily."

"I just want my memory back as soon as possible," she said firmly. "And if it helps to get together with people from my past, I'll accept that."

"Will you tell him about the baby?"

Emily shook her head. "Not right away. I still have some time. Besides, I don't even know who the father is."

"Do you think it's Mr. Mathis?" Dr. Kulani asked.

Emily shrugged. "At least he said that we had a relationship before. So it's a possibility."

"In your case, we can do a prenatal non-invasive paternity test. What do you think?" Dr Kulani suggested.

Emily looked at him surprised. "Is this even possible?"

He nodded. "We already took blood from you, we just need a saliva sample from the father-to-be."

"You can take Daniel Grayson's. If he is not the father, only Aiden remains," Emily said.

"You are quite unemotional with this topic," Dr. Kulani said frowning. "As if it wouldn't affect you at all."

"It's just names for me. They don't mean anything," she said quietly. "It may sound heartless, but I feel like an empty shell."

"And even though you feel that way, you want to go back to the States?" the doctor asked surprised.

"I want to go back, because I want to know who hates me so much that he wanted to kill me. And then I'll take revenge for what he did to me!"

For a moment she was shocked by her harsh statement and could see, when she looked at Dr. Kulani's facial expression, that he was affected, too. She didn't know where these feelings of hatred came from. She only knew that she meant every word seriously. And that scared her.

"If Mr. Grayson arrives here, I'd like to talk to him first, if you won't mind," Dr. Kulani asked for Emily's permission. "I want to prepare him for what awaits him when he sees you again."

Emily suppressed the desire to laugh hysterically. "I'm sorry," she said as she realized how inappropriate this was in the current situation. "I think it won't be easy for all of us. At least, he already knows me. But I have no idea who he is or how our lives had been as a couple."

"Feelings can grow again," Dr. Kulani said thoughtfully. "There was this case back then, somewhere in the 90s ... A young couple, newly married, had a car accident. She was severely injured, he was just slightly injured. When she awoke from the coma, she no longer recognized her husband. Nevertheless, she moved back in with him, thinking that the familiar environment would bring back her memory."

"This is almost exactly what happened to me," Emily said, astonished. "What happened with them then?"

Dr. Kulani scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, the whole thing ended with her not regaining her memory. However, she fell in love again with her husband, who had never stopped loving her. They both got two children later and still live happily together."

"A beautiful story with a happy ending," Emily said smiling.

Dr. Kulani smiled as well. "Yes, in this case there was a happy ending. However, this is not always the case."

"I hope he can give me answers about my life before. What about my parents? Do I have siblings? Where do I come from? I'm not thinking about emotions yet. I just want to collect ... facts." She raised her head and looked at the doctor with a serious face. "Does it sound heartless?"

"No." He shook his head. "Not at all. It 's only natural that you want to learn more about yourself. But take your time. Too much information may harm the recovery. One step at a time."

Emily nodded. "I promise."

Dr. Kulani smiled. "Well, I have to leave now. My other patients are waiting for me."

Deep in thoughts, Emily looked at him as he left the room. _Would the same happen to me, like the woman who had lost her memory forever? Would I have to live under the roof of strangers for the rest of my life?_ She leaned back, sighing. One step at a time, Dr. Kulani had said. She closed her eyes and fell asleep immediately.


	10. Revelation

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

"Where is he?" Victoria paced back and forth in her daughter's bedroom, waiting impatiently for her answer.

"I told you he'd stay with a friend," Charlotte said slowly. Even to her, Daniel's lie sounded too far-fetched to be true.

"What friend?" Victoria took a step towards her daughter and grabbed her arms roughly. "Charlotte, it's important, what friend?"

"I ... don't know," she stammered. "He... didn't tell me. Ouch! You're hurting me!"

Victoria let go of her abruptly. "I've called him dozens of times. It's very unlike him to ignore my calls!"

"Daniel is old enough to make his own decisions," Charlotte said, raising her head a bit higher. "And it's not only Daniel."

"I'll deal with you later!" Victoria spat out. "This is about your brother."

"What is so important that you need to speak with him?" Charlotte asked frowning.

"You were in the kitchen with him when he told about Emily, weren't you?" She asked reproachfully.

"Yes, I was, but..."

"You're so naive, Charlotte! Did you think he'd lied to you when he told you he had killed her?"

"He ... he never would do that," she stuttered. "You don't really believe what he said!"

Victoria straightened up to her full size in front of her daughter. "I don't believe it, I know it. I saw him on deck, and when I heard the gunshot, everything was clear to me."

"No ..." Charlotte backed away until she felt the edge of the bed. "I don't believe that. Daniel is not a murderer!"

"Not willingly, but he shot her, what is probably the same."

"Oh God..."

"What is it?" Victoria asked alarmed, when she saw her daughter turn pale.

"Two ... two police officers were here, and ..."

"Where is he?" Victoria interrupted her.

"Please Mom!" she begged. "I promised Daniel not to say anything."

"Are you aware that the life of your brother is at stake?! Do you want him to go to jail for a murder that he just committed because of Emily?" She said angrily.

"Emily is alive! She is not dead," Charlotte confessed.

"Come again?"

"She's alive," Charlotte repeated. "The police officers were here to tell him."

"Where did they take him?" Victoria continued her interrogation.

"I ... I have no idea. He packed a few things and went with them voluntarily."

Victoria clasped her hands over her head. "I can't stop to keep sight of you!" She moaned. "What's going on in Daniel's head, that he turns himself in freely? I begged him not to do anything rush. And what happened? He's probably already in jail because Emily had reported him to the police." She turned away. "I have to call your father. He has enough influence to avoid arrest."

"Mom .. please …!" Charlotte sank down on the bed.

"What?"

"I am sorry! If I had known before, I would have never let him go!" Charlotte said with tears in her eyes.

"Your remorse is a little late, my dear child! You should have thought of that before."

With these words Victoria walked out, leaving a weeping Charlotte behind.

 **IGM Hospital, Malé**

Taking a deep breath, Daniel took a step into the hospital building, waiting for the sliding doors to open and allow him to enter. He looked around briefly, then steered towards the reception desk.

"Emily Thorne ... I mean ... Emily Grayson is supposed to be at your hospital ward. I'm Daniel Grayson, her husband," he introduced himself.

The young receptionist looked into the computer and nodded. "You are already expected. Please, take a seat!" She pointed to a free chair, which was right next to the reception desk. "I'll let Dr. Kulani know that you're here." She reached for the phone and pushed a button. "Mr. Grayson is here now," she said in a matter-of-fact-tone.

Daniel looked around in confusion, wondering if it was normal for a visitor to be greeted by the doctor personally.

"Mr. Grayson?"

He looked up, into the face of a tall, dark-skinned man, probably of Indian origin. "Dr. Kulani, right?"

The doctor nodded. "Would you follow me, please?"

Daniel followed the doctor, first into the elevator, then further across a long corridor until they stopped at a door.

"Please," Dr. Kulani opened the door and made a welcoming gesture. "Have a seat!"

A little unsure about this kind of greeting, he took a seat.

"You're probably wondering why I want to talk to you first before you can see your wife," the doctor said. "But in this case it's imperative."

Daniel felt his hands getting sweaty. _What had the police officers withhold? Was Emily's condition worse than he assumed?_ "How is my wife?" He asked.

Dr. Kulani leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in front of his chest. "Well, I can't give you the reply good or bad," he said. "Let me phrase it that way ... She was very lucky. She had more than one guardian angel." He smiled. "What I'm trying to say is that her physical wounds will surely heal soon. But at this point I can't make any predictions about her mental state."

Daniel swallowed a lump that had formed. "What does that mean?" He asked cautiously.

Dr. Kulani cleared his throat before continuing. "The medical terminology is 'Retrograde Amnesia'. In fact, it means, that your wife can't remember anything what happened before or during the terrible incident."

"You mean, she can't remember anything at all ...?"

Dr. Kulani nodded. "It's exactly like that. Her past is practically extinguished. Just like the day she was shot."

Daniel waited for the feeling of relief, but instead he felt guilt. "She won't even remember me?"

The doctor looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Grayson. I know how difficult this situation must be for you. But also take in consideration how your wife must be feeling about it."

"And ... and her injuries?" He asked hesitantly. "How bad are they?"

"Well, the bullet didn't hit any vital organs, fortunately. But she lost a lot of blood," Dr. Kulani informed. "In addition, she had a laceration on her head, which we don't know where she had got it."

"So she's going to get well again?"

"I can guarantee that." Dr. Kulani nodded. "Of course there will be scars, inside and outside, but she will make a full recovery."

"And will she ever regain her memory?"

"There is no guarantee. Amnesia is a disease with many faces. I have already explained to your wife that there are cases where the patients get back their memory completely. But unfortunately there are also enough examples where this is not the case. These patients have only the present and the future. Some of them suffer from the loss of their past, others simply accept it and live a normal life." He looked at Daniel thoughtfully. "I firmly believe that your wife belongs to the latter category. She has a strong will and a lot of courage and inner strength."

Daniel nodded. "Yes, that's true," he agreed.

Dr. Kulani stood up and walked around the desk. Gently, he put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I'll leave you alone for a moment, so you can think about what I've told you. If you feel ready to face your wife, you'll find her on floor 5 room 22." He smiles slightly. "All the best!"

 _How should he face Emily after he had found out about her condition?_ Even if her loss of memory meant that his secret was safe, his bad conscience plagued him. He had done that to her! The injury, the amnesia ... It was his fault that she was lying in the hospital! And if she ever would remember again, she would hate him forever. There was no way out! Groaning, he buried his head in his hands. _What should he tell her? Would it be possible to take her home under these circumstances? Would she want that at all? And could they live together as husband and wife beneath the same roof?_ He had been so engrossed in thoughts that he had not noticed that the door had opened again and a young nurse, with an emesis bowl in her hand, had entered the room.

"Mr. Grayson? Dr. Kulani asked me to take a saliva sample," she said with a serious face.

"What?" He asked confused.

"A saliva sample." She pointed to the bowl with a cotton swab and a small test tube in it. "For the verification of your DNA ... I mean ... identity," she corrected hastily.

"My identity?" He asked, puzzled. "I don't know, but back home, in the States, we have passports, driving licenses or credit cards for that."

"Just open your mouth! It won't take long," the nurse ordered.

"OK, if you like." Daniel opened his mouth and endured the procedure.

"Thank you!" The nurse pushed the cotton swab into the test tube, gave him a nod and disappeared.

Daniel shook his head in disbelief. _Strange habits,_ he thought as he opened the door to the doctor's office and went towards the elevator.


	11. Preparation

**IGM Hospital, Male**

Emily was napping when the door opened and the nurse entered. "Emily... Mrs. Grayson?" She said softly.

Emily opened her eyes startled. "Did something happen?" She asked in alarm.

The young nurse shook her head. "Everything is all right. I should tell you from Dr. Kulani that Mr. Grayson is here now."

At the mention of his name, she was suddenly awake. "He is here?" She asked. "Daniel Grayson is here?"

The nurse nodded. "Dr. Kulani had a conversation with him, and now he's on his way to you."

"How do I look? Do you have a mirror?" She didn't know why, but suddenly she was shy to confront her husband without make-up.

"You look very pretty, even without makeup," said the nurse, smiling. "But wait..." She went to a cupboard, pulled open the bottom drawer, and then handed her patient a small hand mirror.

Emily nervously tugged at her long, blond curls. "I know, it's silly. I don't even know him. But I have seen the wedding pictures on the internet and I want to look as similar as possible."

The nurse nodded. "I can understand that. But I think he won't expect you to look the same. Not after what you went through."

Emily handed the mirror back to the nurse. "You're right," she said with a smile, carefully placing a hand on her still flat stomach. "Does he know about the baby?"

"No. Dr. Kulani didn't tell him anything. However, we managed to get a sample from him for the paternity test."

"What sample?" Emily asked, surprised.

"A saliva sample," the nurse explained. She suddenly started to grin. "I think he was a little confused at first, but then he willingly opened his mouth."

"And he didn't want to know what you want to do with the sample?"

The nurse shrugged. "I lied," she said simply. "I told him we need it to check his identity." She cleared her throat. "You know, actually we need the consent from him. So it's against the law. But Dr. Kulani said it's okay." Her face lit up again. "And if Dr. Kulani says it's okay, then I'll do it. I would never question his authority."

Emily nodded. She was relieved that she had found a confidant and ally in the Indian doctor. She would miss him if she was back in the Hamptons. "How long does it take to get the result of the paternity test?" She inquired.

"Not more than three days." The nurse smiled. "They will have the result before you fly back to the States."

"What do you think, how long can I keep the pregnancy a secret?"

The young nurse flipped through Emily's medical file and looked at her with a frown. "Well, not for very long. Maybe a few weeks. In four weeks at the latest, you should have an ultrasound done again. And then every four weeks. And if bleeding or other complications occur, then you must not hesitate to seek medical attention immediately." She scratched her head thoughtfully. "I would not wait too long to tell the father. The longer you wait, the harder and more complicated it gets." She flipped through the medical file again, then pulled out a piece of paper that she handed to Emily with a smile. "Here, the first photo of your baby!"

A little skeptical but also fascinated, Emily stared at the ultrasound photo. You couldn't see more than a tiny bean. But this was her baby and it would soon grow and become a real human being. "Thanks," she said softly. To her surprise, she suddenly noticed something wet on her cheeks and wiped it carefully. Were these tears? When she heard a knock on the door, she quickly shoved the ultrasound image under her pillow and gestured for the nurse to open the door.

She felt her heartbeat quicken as she waited for him to enter. And then he suddenly stood in the middle of the room and looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and anxious expectation.

"Hi!" She said in a slightly trembling voice, while she was holding out her hand to him. "I'm Emily!"

 **Nolan's mansion, Hamptons**

The eccentric computer geek opened the door for his friend and let him enter. "You were damn fast, Aiden," he said as he walked over to a seat group, gesturing to his visitor to sit down.

"I couldn't stand it there anymore," he confessed.

"Is Emily still in the hospital?"

Aiden nodded. "But she intends to inform the police. Then the Graysons will surely appear soon on the island and take her home again."

"My head is still buzzing with what you've told me," Nolan said. "What are you planning now?"

Aiden thought for a moment before confiding to Nolan what he had planned. "I have to go underground for a while," he said. "I broke more than one law trying to save Emily. And if the Graysons find out I've had my fingers in the pie, then I'm quicker in jail than I'd like!"

Nolan nodded understandingly, "Where do you want to go?"

"Rebun Island," Aiden said shortly.

"You want to go back to Takeda?" Nolan looked at him in surprise. "How do you want to monitor Emily from there?"

"You have to do it. I can't stay here. You have to understand that, Nolan. I have to leave and think about my next steps."

"And you hope you'll find answers on Rebun Island?"

Aiden nodded. "The place has something magical. I can't explain. As if the soul is being reborn there."

"How poetic..." Nolan said rolling his eyes. "And after your rebirth, will you come back?"

"Until then, I know what to do."

"And in the meantime, Emily gives birth to your child and gets manipulated by the Graysons," Nolan finished his sentence.

"How do you always manage to put everything in the negative?" Aiden asked, shaking his head. "I'll be back before the baby comes."

"Amen!" Nolan rose. "Then I wish you a good trip, have fun and... try to stay alive!"

Aiden smirked and punched his friend in his ribs. "Most of all, I'll miss your sharp-witted sense of humor, my friend." He became serious again. "Promise me you'll take care of Emily."

Nolan crossed his index and middle fingers. "I promise!"

"Here!" Aiden pulled out the box with the rings. "If she wants to keep up the farce of a marriage with Daniel, then she should wear it again," he said bitterly. "It's her decision, not mine. But I hope she comes back to me when she regains her memory."

"And if not?" Nolan interjected.

"Then I won't give up anyway," he said firmly. "She belongs to me! I won't leave her to the Graysons without a fight!"

Nolan slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "A good plan. I just hope it will work this time."

Aiden ignored Nolan's last comment and opened the door. "I'll be back soon," he promised as he left the house and walked across Nolan's the property to his car.


	12. Reunion

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

 _"He took the business jet."_

Victoria thought she had misheard while she clutched the phone tighter.

 _"He flew to the Maldives," Conrad continued, not getting any response from his wife. "Victoria? Are you still there?"_

"Yes ... yes, sure." Nervously, she ran a hand over her forehead. "Can you find out what he wants there?"

 _"Well, I guess it's because of Emily."_

"Obviously. The question is, what's she doing there? And the even better question is what Daniel wants over there?"

 _"I called the police. It's true, Emily is alive. She's in a hospital. Would you like the address?"_

"You have the address and didn't think it was necessary to call me back?" She panted out angrily. "How long have you known?"

 _"Not very long. Since your last, hysterical call, I've done nothing else than ringing around and finding out where our son is. There is enough work on my desk. A little gratitude would be nice."_

"I thought maybe it is also in your interest to find out where he is. After all, we cannot allow him to turn himself in and go to jail. Think of your reputation, what it means in your position to have a son who has become a criminal!"

 _"It wouldn't be the first time."_

"Save it, Conrad! I have enough to deal with Daniel's current problems. I don't have time to deal with things that happened in the past!"

 _"Do you have anything to write?"_

Victoria reached for a sheet of paper and a pen, and began to scribble down the address that Conrad gave her. "I need a plane immediately!" She said resolutely.

 _"Don't you think you're a little rash? I mean Daniel is old enough. Maybe we should wait for him to call us and tell us what's going on. He'll be flying back soon ... "_

"If they haven't already arrested him," Victoria interrupted. "I won't stand idly and wait when I can be active myself. You know I'm not the person to leave something to chance."

 _"Yes, unfortunately ... Well, fine, wait for me. I organize everything and then we'll meet later. We'll go there together."_

"That won't be necessary because I ..."

 _"Can't you not have the last word for once, Victoria! Daniel is also my son! And his well-being is near and dear to me as well. So I'll go with you. Discussion over!"_

She was too perplexed to reply, so she finished the conversation and then went to the bedroom to pack a travel bag for her stay on the Maldives.

 **IGM Hospital, Malé**

Daniel felt as if he'd been back to the summer, three years ago, when he'd seen Emily for the first time, at his parents' party on Memorial Day. She had spilled her drink on his jacket, and they had started a conversation afterwards. He had been fascinated by her from the beginning. That's why he had not left anything untried to see her again. And fate had actually meant good to him. Emily had always crossed his path. She even had bought the beach house, that was located a few yards away from Grayson Manor. And finally, she had found her way not only into his family, but also into his heart. _All things she can't remember_ , he thought, as he squeezed her hand. "Daniel!"

"Please, sit down!" Emily gestured to a chair next to the bed. "I know that Dr. Kulani talked to you about me," she started the conversation.

Daniel nodded.

"So where should we start?" She asked, smiling.

Daniel felt like someone had just stabbed him in his heart. He tried to remember when she'd smiled at him the last time this way, genuine and honest, with a warmth that left him breathless.

"At the beginning?" He suggested with a wobbly voice.

"Okay." She nodded. "Tell me how we met!"

And Daniel told her about this day in summer, three years ago, how they got to know each other and fell in love. Emily's burning cheeks revealed, that she was fascinated by his story. When he finally told her about their wedding and the event that had followed, he recognized fear and confusion in her eyes.

"I'm sorry!" He said quickly, reflexively reaching for her hand. But he pulled back when he noticed that she flinched from his touch.

"I... was... shot at the day of my... wedding?" She gasped disbelievingly.

Daniel nodded. He didn't know how much to tell her. On her reaction, he realized that it had been probably too much already.

"Why?"

When she looked up at him with tears in her eyes, it almost broke his heart. _I did it because you had lied to me for years and I wanted to hurt you the same way you had hurt me!_ He couldn't do this! He had to do something before he would completely lose his composure. He jumped up from the chair and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry!" He stammered, almost close to tears. "If I could, I would turn back time!"

He held her for a while before he realized she wasn't moving. He couldn't even feel her breath anymore. She hung in his arm like a doll. Affected by her reaction, he dropped his arms and backed off. The gaze that hit him let him hold his breath. She looked at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly opened. Their faces were only a few inches apart. He reacted on impulse, when he slowly bent forward, closed his eyes and touched her lips gently with his own.

She didn't flinch, but she didn't move either. With wide eyes she waited for something to happen. _And probably it was just that_ , he thought, as he slowly withdrew from her. She was waiting for something to feel. To her, he was a stranger. A stranger who had used her weakness and helplessness. He rose from the edge of the bed.

"I should go!" He said, still slightly out of breath. "I'll come back ... later." Hastily, he left and then leaned outside against a wall with his eyes closed.

"Everything okay?" A voice beside him asked.

He opened his eyes and gave the nurse a nod. But in reality nothing was okay. The reunion with Emily had triggered emotions in him, which he thought long forgotten. Perhaps it was because she was like the woman he had gotten to know and had loved three summers before, free from lies and intrigues. _Was it really possible to start a new life with her on this basis?_ He shook his head slightly, as if he could bring himself to his senses. It was far too early to think about such things. For her, they had just met the first time. She was still far too unstable that he could confront her with too much changes. He would wait and hope. And perhaps, someday, they would be able to live together again as husband and wife. With this positive, forward-looking thought, he pushed from the wall and went to the elevator.

Emily sat there, dazed, after Daniel had left. Although she was motionless, she felt a turmoil in her body, her faster breath, her accelerated heartbeat, and a strange sensation between her legs. Her mind hadn't recognized him, but her body. When he had touched her lips, she had experienced a warm feeling of familiarity. But not only that. The desire to pull him closer and to respond to his kiss with fervor, had given her a shock. And she had to mobilize all her will-power to resist him.

Carefully, she touched her lips and closed her eyes. He was a stranger. How could it be that she felt such intense feelings? Of course, it hadn't escaped her notice that he was very handsome, well-built and gorgeous, with his dark brown, slightly wavy hair and hazel eyes. A womanizer. And probably he'd been, before he'd known her. It was strange, but she felt magically attracted to him.

She remembered Aiden's fleeting kisses that hadn't unleashed any feeling. He probably had lied to her about that, too. They had never been a couple. But if he had lied, then she didn't need a paternity test. Then it was safe to say that Daniel Grayson was the father. But there were still remaining questions. Where had the faked passports come from and why did Aiden know so much about the Graysons? What was his relationship to the family? Was he a friend, an enemy, an employee? Why had he saved her and had brought her here? She was unable to make sense of all of this.

She leaned back, sighing. She hoped that Daniel would return soon. His brief narrative, how they had learned to know and love each other, had sparked a desire to learn more about their relationship. She wondered if Dr. Kulani might have been right. Was it possible to fall in love again? She thought of the kiss and answered the question to herself. She had once loved him. She would try to do it a second time. She slid deeper into her pillow, put her hands on her stomach and closed her eyes. Just for a moment, she thought, before she fell sound asleep.


	13. Doubt

**Unima Grand Hotel, Malé**

Once more, Daniel let the stream of hot water run over his body before he stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel that was lying on a chair. Quickly, he wrapped it around his hips and stepped to the mirror, which was completely fogged by the hot water vapor. He wiped it thoughtfully, remembering his first meeting with Emily at the hospital. Had it been three days since then? Since his hasty departure, he hadn't dared to face her. And he also didn't expect Emily to want to see him again after kissing her without her consent.

He ran a hand through his wet hair, sighing. _What have I been thinking?_ Well, he knew that he hadn't thought at all, but had simply reacted impulsively. As she had looked at him with wide, tear-filled eyes, like a timid fawn, she had awakened something in him that he could no longer control. The need to touch and kiss her had become so powerful that he simply had to give in to it. And now he deeply regretted that he had lost control. He had wanted to proceed cautiously, to make her relearning as easy as possible after he had heard of her amnesia. Instead he had only made things more complicated!

Sighing, he turned away from the mirror and reached for his clothes. He couldn't stay away from her forever. It wouldn't be long before they would release her from the hospital. And then she would fly back to the Hamptons. At least that was the plan. _But what if she didn't want to go back with him?_ He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he needed a moment to realize that someone was standing outside the door and knocking. "Just a minute!" he shouted, quickly slipping on his shirt and trousers before he went to the door.

"Mom ... Dad!" He exclaimed in surprise as he recognized the visitors. "What are you doing here? How do you know ...?"

"Don't you want to let us in first?" Victoria interrupted her son. She pushed the door open even before she received a reply and entered.

Daniel took a step back and raised his eyebrows in confusion. "I repeat, what are you doing here?"

"What a nice welcome!" Victoria said snappish. "What do you think we're doing here?" She pushed her husband into the side. "It's your turn to say something, Conrad!"

"Your mother and I are here because we are worried about you," Conrad said, after he had cleared his throat. "At first we didn't know where you were. But after some research, we learned that you flew to the Maldives with the business jet."

"You've made Charlotte to tell us a lie!" Victoria said accusative. "But in the end she told us that Emily is alive. I realized that you would do something stupid." She shook her head. "How could you, Daniel? After all I've told you, how can you put yourself in danger? For whom? For Emily, who is just waiting to destroy you and our whole family?!"

Her voice almost cracked, and Conrad put his hand on her shoulder, gently. "Calm down, Victoria!" He said quietly. "It won't do any good to heap reproaches on him." He looked at his son, who was still shocked by their sudden appearance. "Perhaps we should let Daniel speak first."

Victoria crossed her arms in front of her chest and began to pace nervously back and forth. "So please ... go on!" She ordered her son.

"I didn't tell you because I wanted to fly first to see how Emily is doing," he began hesitantly. "You would have stopped me."

Victoria nodded. "You bet!"

He took a deep breath before he continued. "I was at the hospital and saw her ..."

"And then she immediately called for the police and had you arrested?" Victoria interrupted her son.

"What a stupid question!" Conrad shook his head. "He's right here, standing in front of us. So obviously he was not arrested."

"She couldn't because ... she can't remember that I shot her," Daniel said reluctantly.

"What does that mean?" Victoria snapped, narrowing her eyes to slits.

"She suffers from amnesia." Irritated, he looked up as he heard his mother's laughter. "What's so funny?"

"I laugh at how naive and trusting you are. It's obvious that she's only playing one of her games again. She hasn't lost her memory no more than she had claimed to expect a child from you!"

"No ..." He suddenly felt the need to defend Emily. He hadn't thought for a second that she had only faked the amnesia. The Emily, whom he had met at the hospital a few days ago, was different from the one he had married. He couldn't really explain it, but he knew she'd told the truth.

"Don't be stupid, Daniel!" Victoria rolled her eyes annoyed. "You're just blind when it comes to her! Even back then she had mastered the manipulation of human beings for her own purposes perfectly. Look at you! Once more you are falling for her scheme. And when she has achieved what she wants, she throws you away, like a piece of stale gum!"

"That's enough, Victoria!" Conrad interposed. "We came here to help him and not to make his life a living hell!"

"I think he can do it himself," she said, turning to go. "I'll tell you one thing, Daniel. She is lying! I said it before and I'll say it again. Emily is a notorious liar and deceiver. She's like a black widow. And once again you went into her net!"

"Come on now!" Conrad grasped her arm and gave his son a last apologizing look before he led her outside.

Powerless, Daniel sank into the chair and buried his head in his hands. He didn't want to believe that Emily had lied. Not this time. But what if his mother was right and everything was just a fraud? He had to convince himself. Determined, he jumped up, grabbed the hotel key card and left the suite.

* * *

 ** _I just wanted to say thank you for all the comments and kind words on my fanfic! That means a lot to me! Since you know that English is not my first language, I can tell you that I have already written 22 chapters, with more to come. I just have to translate it. ;) The story is far from over. So, there is a lot to look forward to. Thanks again!_**


	14. Anticipation

**In front of the hotel**

"Let's go to the hospital!"

"What are you up to?" Conrad Grayson looked at his wife, suspiciously.

"I'll prove to Daniel that Emily is a liar!" Victoria replied with determination.

"Do me a favor and don't intrude!" Even as he said the sentence, he realized that it was easier to hit his head against a brick wall. Once she set her head on doing something, nothing in the world could stop her. And the rivalry between Emily and her had been the main topic for many years. "And what if she actually lost her memory?" He dared an objection.

"You're also helping Daniel with his figment?" She looked at him reproachfully. "It's quite clear what she wants."

"And that would be?"

"She wants to worm her way into our family again. But this time she miscalculated. I won't allow her to come between my son and me again!"

"One could think that Daniel is your property." He rolled his eyes. "Our son is 26 years old. How long will you be holding hands with him?"

"You don't understand, Conrad. You only had your work in your head. You've never really been interested in the kids. I raised Daniel and Charlotte alone because you were too busy to carry on your father's business!"

"Of which you have also profited, haven't you?" He told her.

"I have never neglected my mother's duties."

"You were like a mother hen, especially controlling Daniel constantly, taking away the air to breathe!"

"I love my children!" She cried. "I would never do anything that'd hurt them."

"And yet you must constantly interfere in their lives," he reproached her.

"If you mean Emily Thorne then, yes, I'll never let her destroy his life."

"Emily Grayson," he corrected. "They are married. Besides, what about the fact he has also destroyed her life?"

Slowly Victoria turned to him. "If I had known about his intention, I would've taken the weapon and shot her myself."

He was too perplexed to reply. He knew Victoria was ruthless and would sell her own grandmother if needed. A characteristic that had been useful to him in the past. But this statement surprised even him.

"Are you coming now?" She cried impatiently.

He followed her, though everything in him was against it. He tried not to think about the consequences of his actions when he got into the car and started the engine.

 **IGM Hospital, Malé**

Dr. Kulani immediately noticed that his patient was a bit depressed when he entered the room and saw her tear-stained face. Carefully, he approached the bed and looked at her, thoughtfully. "Emily, are you all right?"

She wiped her eyes hastily to expel the tears and then looked up at him. "Yes, thank you, I'm fine."

He knew she was lying and sat down on the chair in front of her bed and took her hand. "So what's going on? Don't you want to tell me?"

"He ... he didn't come back," she said, sobbing. "He probably already left and doesn't want to have anything to do with me."

Dr. Kulani immediately knew from whom Emily was speaking. "He's your husband," he said. "He can't just leave you. He probably has to overcome the shock that you can't remember your past."

Emily thought of the kiss and nodded. "Yes, that may be it," she said softly.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

She took a deep breath before confiding to the doctor. "We talked, and he told me that it was the day of our wedding when I was shot." She wiped a curl from her forehead. "And then ..." She stopped in the middle of the sentence.

"What then?" Dr. Kulani asked softly.

"He kissed me," she confessed after a moment of hesitation.

"And then you rejected him," he jumped to conclusions.

"No." Emily shook her head vigorously. "All the sudden, he jumped up and ran off. I don't know why. I didn't do anything. That was three days ago. I haven't heard from him ever since."

"And you think it was your fault?"

Emily nodded. "Who else?"

Dr. Kulani smiled all of a sudden. "Then I was right with my assumption that he is probably a little under shock. Seeing you again surely brought back memories and emotions that he has to deal with now." He looked at her thoughtfully. "What did you feel when he kissed you?"

Emily was smiling involuntarily. "It was ... nice, somehow ... familiar," she said softly.

"Then it sounds to me as if it was the right decision to return home." Dr. Kulani nodded contentedly.

"I don't know if he still wants that," Emily said sorrowfully.

"Whatever happens, maybe this will help you ..." He pulled out a brown envelope and put it on Emily's bedspread. "... to make a decision about your future."

"The paternity test?" She eyed the envelope anxiously, as if it were a poisonous insect and not a harmless piece of paper. "Please open it!" She pressed the envelope into the doctor's hand, with her eyes closed, waiting for the result that would change her life forever.


	15. Confrontation

**IGM Hospital, Malé**

Victoria looked impatiently at her gold watch as she paced nervously back and forth along the hospital floor. She was not used to wait, and since she had done that for more than half an hour, her nerves were more than tense. _What is the doctor doing in there for that amount of time?_ She asked herself. A normal ward round never lasted that long. After she had entered the hospital and had received Emily's room number at the reception desk, she had immediately gone upstairs. But to her displeasure, she had had to realize that someone was already in the room. She had eavesdropped for a moment, but then had preferred to remain hidden and just wait. She wondered what Conrad was doing now, her husband, the coward, who had preferred to wait in the rental car. Again she looked at her watch and sighed. More than ten minutes had passed again. Maybe it was better to come back later. But just as she turned around and went back to the elevator, the door opened and the doctor came out, who also went to the elevator quickly without taking any notice of her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her way was finally free. She tugged at her costume before she finally stepped over to Emily's room door and, without knocking, pressed the door handle and entered unsolicited.

For a moment she stopped and stared at the bed where Emily was lying. She had lost weight, she noted after a closer look. Her face was pale, and her curls, which had been carefully trimmed in the past, hung limply. There was an infusion tube in her arm and a patch on her forehead, above the left eye. When the young woman lifted her head and Victoria saw the sparkle in her eyes, presumably from tears, she actually felt something like pity. But it was not any young woman. It was Emily Thorne, who had betrayed her family for years.

"Yes, please? Can I help you? Did you choose the wrong room?"

Victoria shook her head mechanically while she was still staring at Emily. She saw her wiping her eyes and then taking a brown envelope and placing it on the bedside table.

"I can call a nurse, if you like. She can show you the way to the room of your relative."

Victoria noticed Emily's frown and her questioning look. _She plays the amnesia patient really convincingly_ , she thought. No wonder she had wrapped Daniel around her finger again. She took a step towards her. "You can stop playing games!" she said accusingly. "We're among us, Emily. You can't reason with me." She saw how Emily turned pale, her fingers clenching the bedspread.

"Who are you?"

"You know exactly who I am! Don't pretend you can't remember!" She laughed mockingly. "After all, I was the last person you spoke to before you were shot and went overboard."

"You ... know who shot me ...?"

The look that hit Victoria made her pause for a moment. A mixture of disbelief, panic and confusion. For years she had been able to study Emily's different facial expressions. This expression was new to her.

"Oh God ... I'm getting sick ...!"

Victoria watched Emily bending to the side, reaching for a bowl, which stood on the side table, and heaving helplessly.

It was the maternal instinct that urged Victoria to hurry to the bed. She sat down, lifted Emily's hair up, and waited patiently for her to stop vomiting.

"Who ... who are you?"

Victoria noticed the sweat beads on Emily's chalky forehead, the tears that ran down her cheeks, and how her chest lifted and lowered much too quickly. She instinctively grabbed the call button and pressed it.

"The doctor is coming soon," she said in a low voice, as she hurriedly jumped up. Startled, she looked at the small, slender hand, which clasped her arm.

"No ... please ... stay with me!"

She broke free and retreated to the door. When she looked back, she just saw Emily pulling the infusion needle out of her arm and trying to get out of bed. She had to get out of here! When she opened the door and ran out, she bumped into the nurse.

"What happened?" She asked alarmed, looking at Victoria, skeptically.

"Take care of her!" Was the last thing she said before she pushed past and ran to the elevator as quickly as possible. Her breath went jerkily when she finally arrived downstairs.

"Victoria?" Conrad looked worried at his wife as he saw her haggard expression.

"Let's go back to the hotel!" She ran a trembling hand through her hair, breathing heavily.

"What happened?" He demanded. "Have you seen her?"

She nodded as if stunned. "What did I do ...?" She stammered. "Daniel will never forgive me!"

Conrad looked at her, frowning. "What happened?" He repeated.

Exhausted, she dropped into the passenger seat and turned to him. "She didn't lie," she said in a low voice. "Emily really has amnesia." She shook her head slightly as she stared straight ahead. "What did I do ...?" She repeated again and again.

Conrad raised his eyebrows in astonishment. It was probably the first time that his wife had lost control. And he could tell from her facial expression that she didn't know how to deal with it. Hesitantly, he put his hand on hers and was amazed that she didn't push it off as usual. "We can do this together," he said reassuringly. "You're not alone." He started the engine and drove out of the parking area towards the hotel.


	16. Despair

**IGM Hospital, Malé**

"Please let me go!" Emily begged as she tried to get out of Dr. Kulani's firm grip. But her efforts were in vain, she was too weak. Tears of despair were running down her cheeks. "Please ... I have to find her!"

Dr. Kulani looked at the nurse, who had just finished her work, to give Emily a new infusion. "Can you tell me what happened here?" He asked with a serious look.

The nurse shrugged. "I don't know for sure. When I came into the room, she was already …" She quickly looked over at Emily. "... on the ground. A woman was here before. She was probably early 50, tall, very elegant, long, dark hair." She thought for a moment. "She looked familiar to me."

Dr. Kulani frowned at his patient, who was still sobbing quietly. "Emily," he said gently. "What did this woman want?"

"She ... she knows me from the past," she said. "She was on the yacht when someone shot me." Again, she collected all her strength and pushed the blanket vigorously. "I have to look for her! She probably knows who wanted to kill me!"

"Calm down, please!" Dr. Kulani held on to her arms. "You don't want that your wound open up again, now do you?"

"But I can't stay here!" Emily looked at the doctor with tears in her eyes. "Please let me go!" she begged again.

Dr. Kulani shook his head. "You are far too weak to run around outside. And think about the baby." He looked at her with a serious face. "Twice we could save its life, but I can't guarantee for anything if you don't calm down now!"

Emily gave up the resistance and let herself sink back powerlessly. "She's my only chance," she said weakly. "If she tells me who shot me, I'll get my memory back."

"That's not how it works, Emily," Dr. Kulani said, shaking his head sympathetically. "I explained it to you."

"You said that sometimes an event can trigger the memory. If I know who the shooter was, I will certainly remember everything."

"Emily ..." Dr. Kulani slightly touched her arm and was amazed when she reached for his hand.

"Please ...!" Again tears streamed down her cheeks. "I want my old life back!" She sobbed. She rolled over and pressed her face into the pillow.

"Give her a mild sedative," Dr. Kulani told the nurse when he noticed that Emily's body was starting to twitch under her convulsions. He stroked her cheek slightly, then frowned. "She has a fever!" He concluded. Carefully he rolled her back on the back and checked the bandage.

"It's probably the nerves," the nurse said, looking at Emily sympathetic. "It must be terrible not to know who you are," she said softly, only for the doctor's ears.

He nodded as he looked thoughtful at his patient who gradually became drowsy by the sedative. "We have to do another ultrasound examination immediately," he ordered. "After everything she went through, it would kill her to lose the baby."

"Who's the father?" The nurse asked curiously.

Dr. Kulani gave her a stern look. "You are here long enough to know that such information is confidential."

"Of course I know." She cleared her throat. "But you do know, don't you?"

Dr. Kulani nodded hesitantly as he looked down at the sleeping Emily with a thoughtful look. "That's why I want her not to lose the baby." With this cryptic note, he left the room to prepare everything necessary for further examinations.

 **Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

Charlotte just came back from swimming when she met Nolan Ross at the front door. Even though he was not one of her friends, he was always a welcome guest. He and Emily were close friends and he had even led her to the altar on the fateful day. She guessed the reason he was here was because he had heard the news that Emily was still alive.

"Hi Nolan!" She greeted him and opened the door. "If you want to see my parents or Daniel, they aren't here."

"I know." He entered the house and looked around. "This is where Emily is going to live when she returns to the Hamptons," he mused.

Charlotte dropped the towel with which she had just rubbed her long hair. "You know it, huh?"

Nolan nodded. "Who doesn't? Meanwhile the news about Emily's appearance is on all TV channels."

Charlotte put the towel on the sofa and sat down. "Yes, the dear press," she said thoughtfully. "If Daniel was here, you would certainly find an article about her in the 'Voulez' as well."

"I thought this is Margaux's responsibility?" He asked surprised as he sat down beside Charlotte.

"Yes, but after what happened with Emily, she needed a vacation. She's in Paris."

"And Daniel is on the Maldives?"

"He ... and my parents, too," Charlotte said. "I think Danny won't be too enthusiastic about it, but well ..." She shrugged. "He knows them long enough to know that she must always have everything under control."

"You speak of your mother?"

"Who else?" Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Dad is usually very chill. I mean, not always. But at least he doesn't follow people like a shadow."

"Well ..." Nolan reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring. "The reason why I'm here." He put it on the table.

"This is the key to Emily's beach house!" Charlotte said surprised. She looked at him frowning. "I thought Daniel sold it to you?"

"He did," Nolan confirmed. "But he only did it because he thought Emily was dead." He took a deep breath. "Well, as we know now, she is fresh as a daisy, and I think she should get it back."

Charlotte took the key and smiled. "A truly generous gift. She'll be happy about it."

Nolan stood up. "All right then, I won't keep you from whatever you want to do."

"I have nothing better to do." She also jumped up and stared at the wet spot that had formed. "Oops! Mom is going to kill me!"

Nolan laughed. "If you want to leave her shadow, you should show more self-confidence, Charlotte. A little bit of water doesn't hurt."

"You're right! Take care, Nolan! And thanks for the tip." She gestured to the stairs. "I have to get dressed now."

He looked at her for a moment, smiling, before taking the path back to his mansion.


	17. Future

**IGM Hospital, Malé**

When Daniel arrived at the hospital, he was immediately summoned to meet Dr. Kulani, who already waited for him in his doctor's office.

"Please take a seat, Mr. Grayson!"

Daniel felt his heart flutter. _Why can't I go to Emily straightaway?_ He thought. _Had something happened? Had she perhaps regained her memory in the meantime?_ If he was honest with himself, then he didn't believe his mother's theory that Emily had just faked the amnesia. He wiped his sweaty hands at his pants. "How is my wife?" He asked as calmly as possible.

"That's the reason why I summoned you," Dr. Kulani explained. "Unfortunately she had a mental breakdown. "

"Mental breakdown?" Daniel echoed.

Dr. Kulani nodded. "Somebody came into her room without permission. And afterwards she collapsed."

"Who?" The strange feeling that had accompanied him on the way to the hospital seemed to prove to be true. He guessed who the visitor was and closed his eyes for a moment.

"A woman, maybe in her early 50, with long, dark hair," Dr. Kulani informed. "The nurse saw her before she disappeared."

"My mother." It was not a question but a fact. After her scene in the hotel room, he'd realized she would do something like that.

The doctor frowned. "Your mother?" He asked, surprised. "What did she want?"

Daniel took a deep breath before telling the doctor how the relationship between the two women had been. "My mother never accepted Emily," he said. "She has always seen a rival in her."

"Well, that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law don't understand each other well, is the rule not the exception," Dr. Kulani said.

Daniel nodded. "Yes, but it was more than that. She hated Emily." And he knew exactly why. A feeling that was mutual. But he couldn't tell the doctor.

"Now I understand why she was so upset," Dr. Kulani said thoughtfully.

"What did my mother tell Emily?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"I don't know. But it seems she knows the person who shot her."

Daniel paused for a moment. What had his mother told Emily? How much did she know? And was his mother really capable of exposing him to her? "Emily knows who ... who the shooter was?"

"No," Dr. Kulani shook his head. "She disappeared before your wife could ask more questions."

He breathed out, relieved. If he wanted to have a future with Emily, she could never know what he had done!

"But that's not the only reason I wanted to talk to you."

"Anything else?"

Dr. Kulani nervously wrung his hands. "It's not easy for me because I had given her a promise not to tell you, but after what happened today, I can't keep the secret any longer." He took a deep breath before continuing. "When you wife was first hospitalized, shortly after she had been shot, we had done a lot of tests. Among other things also various blood tests. In one of these tests we found an increased concentration of a specific hormone …" He stopped in the middle of the sentence and cleared his throat. "The HCG hormone."

"And what does that mean?" Daniel asked, frowning.

"Your wife is pregnant, Mr. Grayson," Dr. Kulani finished she sentence.

"Pregnant?" He repeated, bewildered. In a flashback he remembered the day, just before the wedding, when Emily had proudly given him the box with the ultrasound image. _She hadn't lied? She had really been pregnant? But why had she pretended not to be pregnant towards his mother?_ All of a sudden, he felt how he broke out in a cold sweat and couldn't breathe. He reached for his throat.

"Mr. Grayson? Are you all right?"

He shook his head mechanically, still struggling to breathe. _She was pregnant, and he had shot her! He could have killed his child!_ The thought was just too much.

"Wait, I'll get you a glass of water!"

He hardly noticed how Dr. Kulani came back with a glass of water and squeezed it in his hand.

"Drink, please!"

"I ... I had no idea," he said in a low voice, after taking a sip.

Dr. Kulani looked at him sympathetically. "Your wife probably hadn't known either. But we can't know exactly because of the loss of her memory. According to the latest ultrasound examination she is 10 weeks pregnant." He smiled and squeezed Daniel's hand slightly. "Congratulations! The circumstances are perhaps not perfect to learn that you will become a father. But I think this is something that will bind you in the future, even if she shouldn't regain her memory. And as for the future ... " He stopped for a moment before continuing. "I have already arranged everything for a return to the States. She wants to go home. And even though I would like to keep her here a little longer, I can understand her.

"Is she well enough to fly?" Daniel asked doubtfully.

"No, that's why a rescue helicopter will bring her home. On board there's medical equipment, in case she should get worse. We've found a place for her in a hospital nearby. She can be released soon." He looked up and smiled. "I trust you to take care of her, Mr. Grayson. I see how much she means to you. Emily has really grown on me in the short time, and I wish her the best I can possibly imagine. She went through so much. Promise me that you will take good care of her!"

Daniel swallowed the lump that had formed. "I promise!" And just the moment he said it, he knew it was not just an empty phrase. He would do everything humanly possible, for Emily and also for the baby.

Dr. Kulani rose from his chair and pointed to the door. "You can see your wife now," he said, smiling. "I hope she is not too angry that I've revealed her secret. But maybe she understands it when you tell her I did it because I was worried about her and the baby's well-being."

"Thank you ... for everything!" Daniel said goodbye and shook hands with the doctor before he left. When he was standing in the elevator, on the way to Emily's room, he tried to process what he had just learned. He didn't know why he got a second chance, but he promised to use it. He couldn't undo what he had done, but he would do everything he could to make up for it. For a shared future with Emily and the baby. With this thought, he stepped out of the elevator and went to Emily's room.


	18. Talk

**IGM Hospital, Malé**

The closer Daniel came to Emily's room, the more tense he became. What could he tell her? How would she react when he told her he knew about the baby? And then there was the issue with his mother and the kiss he better shouldn't even mention. There was, however, another matter that concerned him. How had Emily come to the Maldives? He hadn't asked her so far. And maybe she didn't know either because of her blackout. He just couldn't help it. He had to go in now and face his fears. He knocked and opened the door.

"Hey!"

Her smile warmed his soul. He could remember that there had already been a time when she had smiled at him in the same way; Right at the beginning of their relationship. He hesitantly approached her and took a seat next to her bed. "Hey!" He greeted back and smiled as well. "Dr. Kulani told me you can go home," he began the conversation because he couldn't think of anything better. Everything was better than to remind her of the kiss, which, admittedly, he still felt embarrassed about.

"Yes, isn't it great?"

 _Her eyes are shining_ , he thought. And how wonderful she looked in this very moment. It was true what one say that a pregnancy made women more beautiful. He nodded. "As soon as you're released from the hospital, you'll be staying with us." He saw her frowning questioningly. "With 'us' I mean, Grayson Manor, my parent's house," he clarified.

"We lived at your parent's house?" She asked surprised.

He sighed inwardly. Of course, she had no idea where they had lived before. He could have told her about the beach house, but this belonged to Nolan now. A deal he regretted. He nodded again. "It's a large house with many rooms."

"Yes, I can imagine." She suddenly grinned. "You know, I've been researching the Graysons on the Internet. I didn't know anything about you, although I am a Grayson, too. And it was very interesting to read with what you earn your money." She tilted her head slightly. "I know what you do, but what did I do? Where did I work? Did I have any hobbies?" She inquired curiously.

Daniel shook his head, smiling. "I have no idea. As you know by your research, I was working a lot and wasn't at home very often. I don't know what you did in your free time." He noticed that she was suddenly twisting one of her ringlets nervously. "Don't worry. We'll find something for you to do," he said quickly.

Emily smiled, but this time it didn't reach her eyes, he recognized immediately. Had he said something wrong?

"The woman who was in your room ...", he quickly started a new subject. "She's my mother."

"Your mother?"

"I don't know what she told you, but she certainly didn't want to upset you." It was a lie because he knew what she was capable of.

"She thought I knew who she was, so she told me that she was the last person who saw me before I went overboard." She shook her head slightly. "I really can't remember anything. I wish I could. "

Daniel forced a smile. _Better she wouldn't_ _,_ he thought. "You mustn't force anything. Certainly you will remember soon. I'll help you." A lie, again. And this time he wanted to be honest with her.

"Perhaps it will help to come home again, in a familiar environment."

"Maybe ..." He cleared his throat. "Can you remember how you came here? I mean, the Maldives are not very close to the Hamptons."

"No. I ... can't remember anything. I think a fishing boat found me and brought me here. I just woke up in the hospital."

She avoided his gaze, or did he just imagine it? Did she lie? Could she remember? "You were unconscious all the time?"

She nodded.

He had to leave it at that. Too much pressure would lead to a mental breakdown again. The last thing he wanted.

"What did Dr. Kulani tell you in addition?"

He lowered his head. But apparently Emily had a sixth sense.

"He told you about the baby?"

He nodded and looked at her directly. "He told me because he was worried. And he thought, because I'm the father, I should know about it."

"I think it's better that way," she said softly. "You would have learned about it anyway soon." She looked at him thoughtfully. "Did you know that I was... I mean before I ..."

She had stopped in the middle of the sentence, but he knew exactly what she had wanted to say. Again, he remembered the moment she had showed him the ultrasound image. At that time he had believed her and had ended the relationship with Sara. But the conversation between her and his mother had changed everything. Had it been a lie? Had she intentionally risked the pregnancy to avenge herself on his mother? There were still so many questions left unanswered and perhaps would remain unanswered forever.

"Daniel?"

"What?"

"Did you know about the pregnancy?"

"No." And again a lie, or maybe not? He didn't know what to reply. He probably had to learn to live with her past as a black hole. He saw how she took an image from the bedside table, and for a moment he held his breath. _Just like way back a few months ago,_ he thought, as he stared at the ultrasound photo. But this time, he knew, it was real. With a slightly trembling hand he traced the embryo's blurred outline.

"It's so unreal, isn't it?" She said. "Even for me. Although I am reminded every day."

He looked at her in surprise. "Every day?" He repeated.

She nodded, smiling. "I'm sick every morning." She sighed and put her hands over her stomach. "Dr. Kulani already said that I'm the only pregnant woman who loses but doesn't gain weight."

"We should change that, I think." It was only then that he realized that she had lost a lot of weight.

"I want to fly home and get my old life back."

He looked at her for a moment, thoughtfully. He had to admit that he liked the Emily, who had lost her memory, better than the one from the past who had often responded to him with cynicism and offish behavior. He remembered how she'd cheated on him, with Jack and also Aiden Mathis. And there were many secrets she had kept to herself. He took the ultrasound photo and put it back on the side table. "The first baby picture for the family album," he said smiling. He saw Emily yawning and stood up. "I should let you sleep now."

She nodded, while she suppressed a yawn again. "It's the hormones," she said apologetically. "I could sleep all day."

"Then sleep well!" He bent down and kissed her lightly on the cheek before he left the room.

Emily breathed a sigh of relief. She was disappointed that he had given her only a cheek kiss, but all in all the conversation had been better than expected. He had asked a lot of questions, but she had apparently given him the right answers so that he hadn't become suspicious. Perhaps she would tell him someday how she had really come to the Maldives and her rescue. But she was not ready yet. Besides, she still didn't know in which relation Aiden stood to the Graysons. She didn't believe his lie that he was a friend of Daniel. They were as different as dogs and cats. And if she really had had a romantic relationship with Aiden, then it was certainly not helpful to tell Daniel about it. She shook her head slightly. What kind of person had she been cheating on her husband behind his back? After she had met Daniel, she understood it lesser and lesser. Suddenly a thought flashed through her mind. There was one person who knew the answers to her questions. And that person was... Nolan Ross!


	19. Home

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

 ** _Two weeks later_**

"Welcome home!"

Emily hesitated for a moment, but when Daniel gently took her hand and squeezed it, she followed him into the house.

 _That villa is huge_ , she thought, after she had looked around. The living area in the center of the manor, with high ceilings in open architecture, from which various rooms and different staircases branched off, was painted in a muted white. Everything looked very noble. _Like in a museum_ , it flashed through her mind. For a moment, she had wondered if she should take off her shoes to protect the precious real wood floor, but she had rejected the idea. She was not a houseworker but the lady of the house, or at least something like that. She glanced at Daniel helplessly, and slightly relaxed when he gave her an encouraging nod. She had hoped that the sight of the rooms would create a familiar feeling inside her, since she and Daniel had lived here before. But she was disappointed. Not only that everything was unaccustomed to her, she also felt completely out of place.

"Let's go upstairs," Daniel suggested, looking at her expectantly.

Emily nodded. She didn't know if there was anything up there that would trigger her memory, but she couldn't stand in the living room staring at the walls forever. This was her home, as strange as it might seemed to her.

"Come on," Daniel gently led her up the stairs and walked along a long hallway until he finally stopped in front of a door. "This is one of the guest rooms," he explained, opening the door.

 _Very nice_ , Emily noted after she had looked around. Although the room was equally decorated in white and looked elegant, it wasn't that oppressive pretentious than the living area. "Have I lived here before?"

"No, we had our own bedroom," Daniel clarified, smiling. "Mom thought it might be better for you to sleep alone until your full recovery."

 _If I ever would make a full recovery_ _,_ Emily thought, inwardly sighing. She tried not to show how disappointed she was. She had already noticed that he was very controlled towards her. After their first meeting in the hospital, he hadn't tried again to kiss her. She longed for his touch. "Where is your mom?" She asked curious.

"She and my dad wanted to run an errand. And Charlotte is with a friend." He pointed to the bed. "You should rest a little," he said, looking at her worried. "The doctor said you're still not strong enough to walk around."

How she hated lying around! She had been tied to the bed for weeks now, and gradually got more dissatisfied and restless by the minute. She knew it was not only her but also the baby to think about, but she had relaxed enough.

"Emily ... please!" He lifted the bedcover when she didn't react.

She shook her head unwillingly. "You said there's a swimming pool somewhere. The weather is so nice. Can we lie by the pool?" She begged.

"All right," he gave in, sighing. "I'll see if I can find a bathing suit for you in Charlotte's room." He looked at her frowning. "You're of the same build."

"Don't I have own clothes?" She asked surprised.

"My mother took everything away after you ..."

She knew how the sentence would end. Of course they had assumed that she was dead. She saw Daniel's tense posture and grabbed his hand and squeezed it slightly. "Hey, everything is fine. We just buy new clothes. I'll need some more stuff anyway." She stroked her still flat stomach. Although she could feel the physical changes more and more, her belly was still not visible to the eye. "I'd like to see the rest of the house. May I?" She looked at him eagerly.

"Sure." He nodded affirmative. "I'll lead you around."

Trustingly, she put her hand in his and let him lead her through the various rooms. When they arrived at a room from which a turret branched off, she hesitated for a moment. But only for a second, because she couldn't resist the pull. She freed herself from Daniel's hand and walked towards the small round turret.

"Emily ... wait!"

She heard him, but she was too curious to stop. The view from the tower let her hold her breath. Nestled between tall trees, there was a house that was at least as imposing as Grayson manor itself. The sight of the wooden beach house, framed by a porch, from which several stairs branched off, caused a strange Déjà-vu feeling inside her. She turned to Daniel, who also stared down, frowning. "I know it!" She exclaimed, pointing to the house.

Daniel nodded slowly. "Hardly surprising, because it was yours. I sold it to Nolan Ross, though."

Emily's head jerked up. Nolan Ross! Since she had left the hospital in Malé, she hadn't thought of him anymore. He was the link to her past! Was it just a coincidence that he had bought her house? She turned to Daniel. "I'd like to get to know him," she said, looking at him intently. "Can we visit him?"

Daniel nodded. "He doesn't live in the beach house but has a property of his own not very far from here. I'll call and ask him whether we can meet up with him."

"Thank you!" She didn't mean to kiss him. But when he faced her and smiled, she acted impulsively. Quite automatically, she put her hand around his neck and pulled him closer. For a moment, they locked eyes before their lips met.

"What's going on here?"

Startled, Emily stepped back, interrupting the kiss in the process. She quickly looked at Daniel, who was still befuddled, then to the person who had asked the question. "Hi Victoria!" Emily greeted her mother-in-law. Since the incident at the hospital, she had avoided Daniel's mother. She couldn't remember her, but her instinct told her that she had trouble with this woman before. The antipathy seemed to be mutual, because the way her mother-in-law glanced at her gave her the creeps. A threatening behavior radiated from her, though Emily couldn't tell where this feeling came from. She reached for Daniel's hand. "Your son just wanted to show me the house," she stated a reason for her intrusion. "I guess this is your bedroom?"

Victoria nodded. "Make yourself at home!"

Emily forced a smile and then looked down to the beach house again. She knew now why she didn't feel comfortable within Grayson manor. Victoria's dark aura was omnipresent in every fiber of the house. Suddenly she felt the need to get away from all of this. She tugged at Daniel's hand impatiently. "We were just about to leave." Relieved, she noticed that he followed her.

"You don't like her, do you?" Daniel asked her, after they had left the room.

Emily shook her head.

"Don't worry, most people react the same way when they get to know her."

She looked up at him surprised. Apparently Daniel's relationship with his mother was not without problems. Perhaps she would ask him about it later on. Now there were more important things to do. "We can go to the pool afterwards," she said, looking at Daniel. "Would you mind to call Nolan Ross right away?"

She watched as Daniel pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began to dial.

"Done!" He said after exchanging a few words with Nolan. "He's waiting for us."

"Let's go!" Emily linked arms and went with him downstairs.


	20. Allies

**Nolan's mansion, Hamptons**

"Hello, I'm Emily!" When Nolan Ross hesitantly shook her hand, she waited for the feeling of recognition. After all, Daniel had told her, on the way here, that they were very close friends. But again her memory let her down. _Would this go on forever that my former friends would remain strangers?_ She thought frustrated.

"Come in and sit down!" Nolan pointed to the living room suite. "A drink maybe?" He offered and rolled his eyes afterwards. "Sorry," he muttered, grinning sheepishly. "Stupid habit."

Emily looked at Daniel, who had pinched his lips. "Thank you, Nolan," he finally said. "Please, just water for both of us."

"I'll be right back." The host jumped up and disappeared into the kitchen.

That was her chance. Quickly she rose. "I wonder if I could help him with anything." She ignored Daniel's astonished gaze and followed the man of the house.

"Emily?" As she entered the kitchen Nolan raised his head and looked at her questioningly. "What is it?"

She looked around stealthily, then went towards him. "I have to talk to you ... alone." She whispered to him. She looked at his surprised expression and continued talking. "I know you're acquainted with Aiden Mathis. I've overheard your phone calls."

"Not now!" He took her arm and pulled her aside. "You have a bad timing." He listened for a moment, then released her arm. "Come around eight o'clock tomorrow morning ... alone," he emphasized.

Emily nodded. "You know where he is, right?"

Nolan nodded. "He's on Rebun Island. However, this probably won't ring any bell because of your amnesia."

Thoughtfully, she looked at him for a moment, before she asked the question that weighed heavily on her mind. "Is it true that he and I had been a couple?"

"Not here and not now," Nolan refused the answer. "I can't risk that Daniel finds out about Aiden's whereabouts."

 _Understandably,_ she thought, if she had really had a love affair with Aiden. She reached for the tray with glasses that Nolan had provided. "I'll take that," she said firmly. "I told Daniel to help you."

"Well, I could have done it myself." He arched his eyebrows amused.

"I need information," she repeated again, then looked at him skeptically. "You're not my brother, are you?"

"No." Nolan scratched his head. "And before you keep asking ... your new identity, Amanda Ross, was my idea. I faked the passports."

 _So it was true,_ Emily thought. She and Aiden had had an affair. And their new identity was meant to start a new life on the Maldives. Suddenly the puzzle pieces, which she had tried to assemble, fit together. She understood everything now, she just didn't know why, since she had obviously loved Daniel. She knew it was true. Her inner feeling wouldn't deceive her. She wanted to ask another question when she noticed that another person had entered the kitchen.

"Emily?"

"Daniel!" She moved away from Nolan and smiled at him. "I just wanted to bring the tray with the refreshments." She recognized his skeptical look and glanced at Nolan who could see her distress.

"I just told Emily that I was already at the manor to deliver the key to the beach house", he said quickly. "I gave it to Charlotte."

She looked at him surprised. He really wanted to give her back the beach house? An unknown feeling of happiness hit her. That was her true home. If she lived there again, she would also regain her memory.

"For both of you, of course," Nolan added, noticing Daniel's frown. "See it as a belated wedding gift."

"That's very generous ... especially since we hadn't closed the deal," Daniel said, raising his eyebrows amused.

"I'll give you the money." Nolan made a casual hand movement. "These are peanuts for me. In addition, you can make better use of the money, since Emily is expecting."

Emily held her breath for a moment, not daring to look at Daniel. She guessed his next question before he spoke.

"You told him you're pregnant?" He asked, incredulously. "I thought we wanted to keep it a secret a little longer."

Emily bit her lower lip. Of course Daniel couldn't know that Nolan probably had the information from Aiden. So she had to think of something different. "I just decided it was time to reveal the secret," she said with a determined look. "The first 12 weeks are over in three days." She quickly put a hand on her stomach to emphasize her words. "I've waited long enough. I will tell the whole world how happy I am!"

"Listen to this!" Nolan said, while grinning at Daniel. "This sounds to me as if the 'Voulez' has an article on the front page soon."

Emily had to struggle with her bad conscience when she felt Daniel's arm around her waist. "I think I'd better go home now," she said, yawning demonstratively.

"I see." Nolan nodded sympathetically. "You are always welcome at my home."

"Thank you, that means a lot to me." She reached for his hand to shake it when he suddenly pulled her closer.

"Remember, tomorrow morning, eight o'clock," He whispered in her ear. He squeezed her again and then released her. "It was a pleasure meeting you ... I mean ...seeing you again ," he said, winking at her.

"I think you've won a friend again," Daniel said as they returned to Grayson manor.

Emily nodded. Even if she couldn't remember, she clearly felt the chemistry that existed between them; A deep friendship and bond. And she hoped that Nolan could help her to unravel the secrets of her past. "Let's go inside?"

Daniel nodded and carefully put his arm around her. Trustfully, she put her head on his shoulder, and together they entered the house.


	21. New life

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

It was very early in the morning when Emily snuck silently on tiptoes down the stairs. If someone would catch her now, her plan to meet Nolan, would be ruined. Beforehand, she had made sure that everyone was still asleep before she got dressed to follow her purpose. She opened the front door and then ran until she reached Nolan's villa. Relieved, she realized that he was already waiting for her.

"You came," he said, greeting her, and offered her a lounger at his huge swimming pool.

"Of course I came," she replied, somewhat puzzled and made herself comfortable. "I want answers."

"I'm not sure what I should tell you," he said hesitantly.

"All you know," she suggested.

"That's a lot." He lifted his eyebrows. "Well, let's start with Aiden ..." He cleared his throat. "about your question from yesterday ... yeah, you two were a couple."

She nodded. "I thought so."

"You did? I didn't say anything to you yesterday," he said, surprised.

"Exactly. What you didn't say confirmed my suspicions." She looked at him, frowning. "I wanted to run away with him, right?" She saw his nod and continued. "How so?"

Nolan took a deep breath. "You really want to know? Well, then I have to start all over again ... "

And he told her about David Clarke, her father, and that the Graysons had been responsible for his imprisonment and later murder. She learned of her desire to take revenge and how she and Emily Thorne had changed their identities. He also told her how she had wormed her way into Daniel's family, and that he and Aiden, whom she knew from Rebun Island, had helped her. When he had finished speaking, she sat there as if paralyzed.

"Emily, are you okay?" Nolan asked, looking worriedly at her.

She shook her head slightly and looked at him. "It's as if you had told me the story of a super-exciting thriller," she said softly. "I can't believe it's my story, my life."

"You really can't remember anything?" He asked, frowning.

"No." She shook her head. "Nothing at all."

"What are you going to do with this information?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Do I want to do anything with it at all? I don't feel that way anymore. I don't have a desire for revenge. I just want to know who hated me so much that he or she shot me." She looked up at him. "Do you know who it was?"

He shook his head. "I'd like to help you, but no. Conrad Grayson's mistress, Lydia Davis, left the country shortly thereafter. It is rumored that she was the shooter."

"Do you believe that?"

He shrugged. "My bet was on Victoria. But she has an alibi because she was below deck when they heard the gunshot."

"That was the plan, right? To frame Victoria for murder?" She tried to reproduce details from his story.

"Yes, that was the plan. You should fake your death and put the blame on Victoria. With that you wanted to destroy the Graysons once and for all."

"Seems that didn't go according to plan," she said bitterly.

He nodded. "No, not exactly. Someone was quicker."

"My God, what kind of person I have been! No wonder someone wanted to kill me." She looked at him thoughtfully. "I still can't believe I really intended to leave Daniel."

He looked at her sympathetically. "You really have feelings for him, haven't you?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Is it that obvious?"

"I'm a good observer." He smiled. "Yes, it is obvious. And if you ask me, I'm sure he has feelings for you too."

"Was anything real?" She asked.

Nolan nodded. "Yes, at the very beginning of your relationship. You really loved him, though you weren't aware of it." He scratched his forehead thoughtfully. "Your teacher and mentor, Takeda, had known it." He looked at her waist. "The baby you're expecting," he began hesitantly. "It's Daniel's, isn't it?"

She nodded. "That's the reason why I don't want to be the Emily or better Amanda I was before. I want to have an honest relationship with Daniel." She looked at him wide-eyed. "He was always honest with me, wasn't he?"

Nolan looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before he answered. "Well, if you want to know if he cheated on you .."

She nodded.

"Well, there was a girl he knew from before, Sara," he began. "I don't know how serious it was. He broke up with her after you had told him that you were pregnant."

She placed her hand on her stomach. "I lied to him knowingly?" She asked incredulously.

Nolan nodded in agreement. "You gave him a fake ultrasound image to make it believable."

"And it was not a lie," she said softly, looking up at him. "I was really pregnant."

"Yes, but you didn't know it then," Nolan said. "Maybe everything would have been different if you had known. I think that Aiden wouldn't have had a problem raising a child that was not his own because he really loved you, but I think you had a problem with that." He stopped in the middle of the sentence and looked at her thoughtfully. "After losing your father so soon, you wouldn't have been able to withhold the baby from his father."

"Probably not ..." She looked at his wrist and the watch he wore. "Oh my God! Is it already that late?! Have we talked all the time?" She jumped up. "I have to go! They have probably already noticed that I left."

Nolan also rose. "What do I tell Aiden when he calls?" He inquired.

She shook her head sadly. "I don't know. I owe him my life. But I don't feel more than gratitude for him."

Nolan nodded and then pulled the box with the rings out of his pocket. "He asked me to give you this."

She recognized the rings immediately, she had first seen at the beach house on the Maldives and later in one of the wedding pictures, that had been published on the Internet. "My engagement and wedding ring!" She exclaimed, taking them into her hand cautiously.

Nolan nodded. "They are yours. Of course he hopes that you will come back to him. But I understand that you can't do this anymore, because of your feelings for Daniel."

"I never intended to hurt him. But I can't live with him when I love someone else." She held the rings tightly in her hand.

"Danny-Boy can be really lucky," Nolan said, grinning. "He almost lost everything, and now he's going to get it all back twice, you, the baby ..."

"I really want to start a new life, Nolan," she said with a serious expression. "I want to leave it all behind me and start again as Emily Grayson. I have no desire to take revenge. I think it's time to let it rest."

Nolan nodded. "Sounds like a plan. And of course I'm still there for you if you need me."

"Thank you, Nolan!" She squeezed him and let the rings slide into her trouser pocket. "You're truly a good friend."

"I'm trying," he grinned, and returned her embrace.

"I have to go now, but we'll keep in touch," she promised.

"Go then!" He gave her a slight slap on the butt. "See you around!"

She ran as fast as she could, along the beach, back to Grayson manor.


	22. Passion

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

"Emily?" Frightened and with a fluttering beating heart, Daniel ran from room to room, becoming more and more nervous when he couldn't find her. Her bed was tidy, as if she hadn't even slept in it. He ran a trembling hand through his thick hair. Where could she be? And why hadn't he noticed that she ran away? He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. But apparently he had fallen asleep nevertheless, because otherwise he would have heard her. He blamed himself for leaving her alone. After all, everything in this house was extraneous to her. He heard a sound in the hall and ran out. But it was only his sister, whom he had asked to help with the search.

"I've searched the whole beach," Charlotte said, still out of breath. "No trace of her."

He groaned. "It's no use. We must call the police!"

"No police!" Victoria suddenly interrupted, while coming out of her room. "The fact still exists that you shot her. And may I remind you that they still haven't found the shooter." She lifted her eyebrows.

"I don't care, Mom!" He said impatiently. "I just want to find her!"

"Watch your mouth!" She threatened him. "You don't want to be locked up somewhere, now that you'd like to play happy family with her."

"Mom, it's not fair!" Charlotte defended her brother. "You know how much she means to him. And the baby has changed everything anyway."

The baby! Suddenly Daniel felt queasy. What if something had happened to her or the baby? He pulled out his phone. "I'm calling the police now!" He said resolutely.

"You're overreacting, Daniel." Victoria shrugged. "Maybe she just wanted to get some fresh air."

"For multiple hours?" He shook his head, but put the phone back in his pocket. "Besides, if this is what happened, she would have asked me if I wanted to accompany her. She doesn't know anyone around here," he added.

"What about Jack?" Charlotte suggested. "She used to be at the 'Stowaway'."

"She has lost her memory. She will hardly remember him," he objected.

"And what about Nolan?" Charlotte asked.

"We visited him yesterday. I don't know what she wants there again."

"Speaking of Nolan ... He was here and gave me the key to the beach house," Charlotte tossed in.

Daniel nodded. "Yes, he told us." A terrible thought flashed through his mind all of a sudden. "You don't think she went to the beach to go swimming?" He looked worried at his mother and Charlotte. "She wanted to go to the pool yesterday, but then she decided to meet Nolan first."

"We have high tide now," Charlotte said thoughtfully. "If she went into the water a few hours ago, then we still had low tide. Perhaps the flood had pulled her into the open sea …" She stopped abruptly when she saw her brother's horrified look. "But she can swim," she tried to play down her statement.

"And what if she can't remember how to swim?"

"You don't forget something like that," Victoria interjected.

"I don't care what you're saying!" Daniel blurted out. "I'm going back to the beach and look for her. And when I can't find her, I'll call the police!" When nobody protested he ran downstairs and left the house.

 **On the beach**

No living soul was on the beach when Emily suddenly jerked to a halt. She could feel the magnetic pull that radiated from the ocean. She took off her shoes and slowly went into the water. She saw the waves surging around her legs and wondered why she was not afraid. After all, the ocean had almost been her grave. She inhaled the spicy smell of seaweed and sea algae, and went deeper and deeper into the water until she noticed that the waves were already reaching her thighs. She was about to touch the surface as she heard someone shouting her name, and then, as if by magic, she was lifted up and carried to the shore.

"Are you insane? Did you want to kill yourself?" He set her down and shook her slightly.

"Daniel?" She squinted against the sun. "What ...?" But she couldn't finish the sentence when he suddenly grabbed her and pressed his mouth hard on hers. _Finally!_ She thought as she wrapped her arms around his neck and responded with a passionate kiss. The next wave carried them both off their feet, and they fell into the soft sand as the waves crashed over them.

"I thought I'd lost you again!" He gasped breathless, looking deeply into her eyes.

She gently stroked a damp strand of hair from his face, then pressed her forehead against his. "You will never ever lose me again," she promised, then lowered her lips to his neck as she buried her fingers in his thick hair. "I love you!" She hadn't planned to tell him this way. But it just felt right at this moment. She lifted her arms and waited for him to take off her wet shirt. But when she tried to help him to slip off her pants, she noticed his hesitation.

"Are you sure you really want this?" He asked skeptically.

"There is nothing I want more," she whispered, pulling the belt off of his pants. Everything around her was suddenly forgotten when she huddled her naked body against him and sealed his lips with a passionate kiss. And when their bodies united, they were bathed by the ocean.


	23. Awakening

**On the beach**

"Shouldn't we be going back?"

Emily slid her fingers playfully over his naked, moist body. "Why? I could stay here forever." She still couldn't believe that they had just made love on the beach. It had felt so natural and right. And she could hardly believe her luck that Daniel felt the same way.

"Well, there might be people passing by, and then we are arrested for indecent behavior. Sex on the beach is a crime," he said, smirking.

She looked around. "There's no one here. And if so, it was worth it."

He laughed softly and pulled her closer to him. "So adventurous, Mrs. Grayson?"

Mrs. Grayson. What a wonderful thought that she was married to the man with whom she just had made passionate love. But suddenly a thought flashed through her mind. Where were their clothes? Where were the rings? She sat up abruptly and looked along the beach. "Daniel ..." she said hesitantly. "Where are our clothes?"

He also sat up and shrugged his shoulders as he couldn't see anything. "I think the ocean has it."

She looked at him, horrified, and realized that her behavior made him suspicious. He couldn't know that she had just drowned half a million dollars in the ocean. Why had she put the rings in her pants pocket? She bobbed up and wiped the damp sand off of her body. "We really have to go now."

"Oh, now you do?" He said, grinning, then pulled her out of the water. "Wait a minute ..." He narrowed his eyes when he saw something floating in the water, not far from them. "Well," he said, as he reached the object of his interest. "There we are!" It was actually her clothes, but incomplete.

Emily slipped on her bra and panties and watched as Daniel put on his pants.

"Are you ready?" He asked, frowning.

Emily didn't react. She searched the water, hoping to find her trousers. But apparently the sea had really swallowed them. She sighed softly and ran a hand through her wet hair. What was she going to tell him when he asked? Now that they really were husband and wife, in the truest sense of the word, he would surely expect her to wear her rings. But maybe she could just tell him that she had lost them a few weeks ago when she fell into the sea.

"Emily, are you coming?"

She grabbed Daniel's hand and let him pull her into his arms. "Just one more kiss," she begged, teasing and laughing as he planted a lot of kisses on her face and neck. Immediately her body reacted. Sighing softly, she threw back her head, waiting for him to continue with his caresses, but instead he stepped back and looked at her amused.

"Didn't you have enough kisses for one day?" He said, smirking.

Emily put her arms around his neck and looked deeply into his eyes. "I have a lot to catch up with." She saw his eyes darken and recognized that her statement had probably ripped a wound again. "Hey," she said gently, stroking his cheek tenderly. "I know how bad the weeks must have been for you when you didn't know whether I was dead or alive. But now I am here. And I'm not leaving anymore." She knew every word was meant seriously.

"Come on," He reached for her hand again. "We'll go for a quick shower, and then I'll take you to the beach house."

Emily glanced at the sea, a last longing look. She thought of her rings, somewhere out there, on the ocean floor. Was it a bad omen? She tried to expel the gloomy thoughts and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Where have you been?" He asked suddenly, after they had been on their way for a while.

For a moment she thought about to lie to him, but she chose to tell him the truth. "I was at Nolan's manson," she admitted. She looked at Daniel's questioning look and continued quickly with her story. "I thought he could answer some questions about my past," she concluded.

"And did he help you?"

Emily remembered Nolan's words. He hadn't left out anything. She was now well informed about the life of Amanda Clarke before she became Emily Thorne, and afterwards, after the change of identity. But she also knew that Daniel had no idea. For him, she was Emily Thorne Grayson. He would never associate it with David Clarke. Unless she would tell him one day. But at what price? Wasn't it better to be quiet and let the past rest?

"Emily, is everything all right?"

She looked up and looked into his dark, worried eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. Just hungry and tired."

"A visit on the beach can be quite exhausting sometimes," he smirked.

"Did we do that before?" She asked curiously.

"What, having sex on the beach?" He raised his eyebrows amused.

She lightly punched his shoulder. "No, not that," she said, laughing. "I mean, were we often here for a swim in the ocean?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes, very often. You were like a mermaid. You didn't want to leave the water."

So that was the reason why she felt this magnetic pull. She loved the beach and the waves. "By the way, I didn't want to kill myself," she clarified. "I just wanted to go swimming."

"Fully dressed?" He raised his eyebrows doubtfully.

"Yeah, that was a stupid idea," she admitted, sighing. "Next time I'll take a swimsuit."

"That reminds me of your wish to go shopping," Daniel said. "Do we want to go to the big city tomorrow? I can show you the rooms of 'Voulez' and we can visit my father at 'Grayson Global'."

 _So now my life would start as a woman by the side of a rich heir,_ she thought. She didn't care what Daniel did, as long as he didn't neglect her. She thought of his father, who was more in his office than at home. She hoped Daniel was different. She remembered Nolan's statement, however, that he had once been at the head of Grayson Global after successfully eliminating his father from his position. So there was another, darker side of Daniel, she might have to face some day. Just as he had to learn to live without her past.

"You're so quiet," Daniel said, after a moment's silence.

"I just wondered where we'll live in the future," she lied. A lie was better than telling the truth. She knew, even if she couldn't remember, her past as Amanda Clarke could destroy her relationship with Daniel once and for all. And she was grateful that he hadn't asked about the real reason she wanted to meet Nolan.

He looked at her astounded. "I thought it would be clear we were going back to the beach house."

She nodded. Yes, that was it. The beach house, built by her father, would certainly help her to remember. With this reassuring thought she clung to his arm, and together they went home.


	24. Memory

**Emily's beach house**

An hour later, Daniel was watching as Emily walked through the rooms of the beach house, touching or lifting something and then putting it back again. He knew she was trying to rediscover something familiar. But he noticed by her facial expression that this was not the case.

"The house is really elegant decorated," she said, as she went outside on the porch and let her hands ran over the banister. When she noticed a ledge in the wood, she paused and looked at the symbol that had been carved in there: The double infinity. It looked just like the tattoo she had on her wrist.

Daniel had noticed her hesitation. "I don't know the exact meaning, but I know it must mean a lot to you. Otherwise you wouldn't have the symbol engraved on the house."

Emily nodded as she went to the porch swing. "I can't remember, but I think I've often sat here, right?"

Daniel took a seat in the swing and then pulled her onto his lap. "Not only that," he said, smiling. "We often kissed here, too."

"Really?" She turned her head so that she could look into his eyes. "Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts," she muttered mechanically.

Daniel froze. It was precisely this poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes that he had quoted, almost exactly at this point, three years ago. They had looked just as deeply into their eyes and then kissed. It had been her first kiss. Could it be that her memory was gradually returning?

"What is it?" She noticed his frightened gaze immediately and was confused as he suddenly jumped up. "Daniel, what is it?"

"You ... you can remember again?" He panted.

"What?" She looked up at him with a puzzled frown, then shook her head. "No. I don't know why I said that."

He tried to relax, persuade himself that this didn't mean anything. But deep inside his fear grew that Emily would soon find out what he did. "Maybe we should go back?" He said hurriedly, still shocked by the quote.

"Why? I thought we were going to move back here." She looked at him blankly.

He closed his eyes for a moment. What should he tell her now? Of course it had been the plan, but if the beach house evoked such memories in her, she would soon regain her memory completely. He suddenly realized how much really was at stake. He had just reclaimed her love and trust, he didn't want to lose it all again. The price was too high. "I ... yes sure," he stammered. "I just meant that we had other plans for today."

"You mean to go shopping and visit your father?"

Daniel nodded relieved. "Exactly." He looked at her expectantly. "So, are you ready to go shopping?"

Emily nodded hesitantly and slid her hand into his. She looked back at the house as they went downstairs. When they were sitting in the car of Daniel's mother a little later, a white Mercedes Benz S-Class Sedan, Charlotte ran towards them.

"Hey, wait for me!" She shouted out of breath. "Are you going to the city?"

Daniel nodded. "We want to buy new clothes for Emily, and ..." He darted a quizzical look at her ... "maybe even a few things for the baby?"

"Oh yes!" Charlotte clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Baby Shopping! Can I come with you?" She begged.

Daniel looked at her in amazement. He had expected it to be a problem for her to accept Emily's pregnancy. It was not so long ago that she had a miscarriage. But he was relieved that she seemed to like playing the role of the caring aunt. "Sure." He pointed to the back seat. "Jump in!"

Charlotte made herself comfortable on the broad leather seat. "I was so bored. At last I can do something useful now."

"Can we go into a shop for artists' supplies?" Emily asked from the passenger seat. "I'd like to buy an easel, pencils and a drawing pad."

Daniel looked at her surprised. "You can draw?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Maybe. When I was at the beach yesterday and looked out into the ocean, the desire to draw was simply there."

"Kara often painted on the beach," Charlotte interjected. "Do you remember, Daniel? And if I remember correctly, Emily watched her then."

"Who is Kara?" Emily asked, frowning.

"She is the mother of the deceased Amanda Clarke," Charlotte explained. "The beach house where you live, it was her father who had designed and built it."

Daniel noticed Emily's hands clinging to the seat pad. "Are you okay?" He asked worried.

She shook her head slightly, then opened the car door. "I ... I think I have to go back to the ... bathroom," she stammered. Her knees were slightly trembling when she walked back into the house. Mechanically, she went upstairs to the bathroom and sank down on the edge of the bathtub. She suddenly remembered hands that had gripped her and pushed her under water. She couldn't recognize the person, but her instinct told her that it had been a woman.

"Emily?"

She hardly noticed how he pulled her up from the edge of the bathtub and hugged her.

"What happened? Why are you crying?"

Surprised, she touched her cheek and realized that it was actually wet. "I ... don't know." Powerless, she leaned against Daniel's shoulder and then let him lift her up and bring her to her bedroom. He gently laid her down and covered her with a blanket. "We wanted to go shopping," she protested weakly. But he just kissed her forehead and stroked her cheek slightly. "Later," he promised.

"How is she?" Charlotte asked anxiously after her brother had left Emily's room.

He sighed and ran through his hair. "I don't know. But I think something you said has sparked a memory."

"Seriously? That's good, right?" Charlotte looked at him with wide eyes. "I mean, you want her to remember, don't you?"

Daniel returned her gaze. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I really don't know." Thoughtfully, he looked at her before he turned around and went downstairs.


	25. Proposal

**On the beach**

October 3rd was a sunny day, when Emily set up her easel and coloring tools on the beach. She was grateful to Daniel for taking care of her things. Since the day when she had had the nervous breakdown, she had hardly left the house. She was afraid that it could happen at any time again. Meanwhile, she and Daniel had moved back to the beach house and tried to live together as a couple, as normal as possible. Eight weeks had passed since the disastrous day, and now the pregnancy was visible to others. At first she had only lost weight, but now with her weight increasing, her belly gradually rounded. Everything was normal, only her memory had still not turned back. Since the day a few weeks ago, when she had remembered her mother, which Nolan had confirmed to her later, she had not had any flashbacks. Gradually, she tried to accept that she won't ever regain her memory. But as Dr. Kulani had already said at the hospital at that time, there was a good reason to look positively into the future. In a few months Daniel and she would be parents. And she couldn't imagine a more caring father for her baby than him. In the afternoon, a visit to her gynecologist was on the agenda, and perhaps they would already learn what it was. Daniel hadn't said it explicitly, but she was sure he wanted a son, an heir for the Grayson empire. She just wanted the baby to be healthy. After what she'd been through in the first weeks of pregnancy, it was a miracle that she hadn't suffered from a miscarriage. She took her brush, dipped it into the paint, and was about to paint the first stroke, as two strong arms, gently, encircled her waist.

"Hey you two! How are you?"

"Daniel!" She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good. Very good in fact. "She kissed him tenderly, then turned to her easel. "However, I haven't come to anything. I really wanted to be finished with the picture around noon before we go to Dr. Rosen."

"Are you nervous?"

"To learn what we're going to have?" She shook her head. "No, just the opposite. I can hardly wait."

"Yes, me too." He turned her back to him and laid his hands tentatively on her rounded belly. "Charlotte bought a book with babynames," he said, smiling. "She looks forward to become an aunt."

"Where have you been?" She asked suprised. "I thought you wanted to do some business stuff for your father."

"Just a little lie." He smiled sheepishly. "I needed to get something for you before we go to the doctor."

"Do you want to tell me what?" She looked at him, confused as he suddenly kneeled down in front of her.

"I'm not just telling you, I'm even showing you." He reached into his pants pocket, took out a box that he opened before her eyes and began his solemn speech. "No one's ever made me feel as loved and as saved and understood as you do. If you let me, I'd like to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you've made me. Emily Grayson, will you marry me, again?"

She stared down at him, then at the two rings that were as similar as those she had drowned in the ocean. Tears streamed down her face as she dropped into the sand and wrapped her arms around him. "Yes, I will!" She breathed, pressing her lips to his. A strange feeling came over her all of a sudden, and she felt wet on her skin, her hair, and the clothes. _Why is it raining all at once?_ She wondered. When Daniel broke the kiss and rose, she recognized the sun that was still shining down on her. Although it was warm, she began to shiver. "It ... it was raining," she stammered.

He gently pulled her up and looked deeply into her eyes. "You remember?"

She nodded mechanically. "You said the same words, and it was raining."

"Yes," he confirmed. "It was on the ship where we had met, just a few months later." He took out the engagement ring and slid it over Emily's wedding finger and then did the same with the wedding band. "I just knew then it was the right decision." He locked eyes with her. "And I have never looked back."

"You're really crazy to give me such expensive rings again, you know that, right?" She said, shaking her head. "What if I lose them again?"

"Then I will keep my eyes glued to you." He smirked. "But I will do that anyway." He went to her easel and folded it. "Come on, let's go! We have to tell the family. "

"Why the rush?" She asked.

"Well, my mother loves to give her parties on all sorts of occasions. This is a really good occasion, don't you think? "He winked at her.

"You Graysons are really crazy." She rolled her eyes.

"Watch what you say!" Daniel warned, smiling. "You're also a Grayson."

Emily raised her hand and looked thoughtfully at the two rings that twinkled in the sunlight. "Don't worry. The rings will always remind me."

Daniel laughed all of a sudden. "Do you know what is funny?" He continued the sentence as she shook her head. "We were engaged twice, and now we are going to get married twice, too."

She paused briefly at his remark. "Why were we engaged twice?"

Daniel sighed. "I'll tell you another time." He looked at his watch and then clamped the easel under his arm. "It's time to go to Dr. Rosen."

Emily nodded. She took her colors and the brushes and then went home with him.


	26. Happiness

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

"What is in Daniel's mind asking her again to marry him?" Victoria said enraged while pacing back and forth in her husband's bedroom. "And furthermore he expects from us to give her a party!"

"I thought you liked her a bit better," Conrad said, tying his tie. "At least you were pretty shocked when you learned that she was actually suffering from amnesia."

"That doesn't mean I approve of their relationship," she explained. "Emily Thorne ... pardon ... Grayson ... is only tolerated here until she regains her memory."

"And if she won't?" Conrad asked. "What then? Are you going to throw her out and your son and grandson as well?"

She raised her eyebrows. "That remains to be proved. I know you're already making plans for Daniel's offspring. Understandable, because your father did the same with you, or you with Daniel. But what if it's a girl?"

"I don't care, even if you don't believe me, Victoria," he said emphatically. "Only Daniel's happiness is important."

"Since when?" She laughed mockingly. "I can remember very well how you have smartly prevented him from becoming a writer just because you needed him for your business. He wanted to write poems. That was what he wanted, which would have made him happy. But no, you had to send him to business school, so you could use him at Grayson Global," she said accusingly.

"Those were other times," he tried to justify and took a step back.

"It's just seven years ago." She rolled her eyes. "And now you will do the same with his son. But I warn you, Conrad! Perhaps you can still manipulate Daniel, but you can't do that with Emily."

He pulled his jacket over and looked at himself in the mirror. "She's calmer now," he said thoughtfully. "Somehow ... more submissive."

"She's a wolf in sheep's clothing," she said contemptuously. "And I'm just waiting for her memory to come back and finish us!"

"I was skeptical at first, but now I believe she truly loves our son."

"Yes, as long as she can't remember that he was the one who shot her!" She said sarcastically. "I've watched her the last few weeks. There are more and more things she can remember." She threw back her long hair and looked him in the eye. "She's like a ticking time bomb. And for that reason, I'm not exactly happy that Daniel wants to throw away his whole life for her!"

He gave her an indignant look. "You can spoil any fun, Victoria! And I had been looking forward to a party in occasion of their second wedding." A memory came suddenly to his mind, and he smirked. "Do you remember how we married a second time?"

"Don't remind me." She wrinkled her nose. "You see that a marriage promise is not a guarantee of eternal happiness."

"I don't know what you want," he said, shrugging. "We live, more or less peacefully, under one roof."

"Yes, in separate bedrooms," she said, rolling her eyes.

"We can chance that any time, if only you would give me a clear sign," he said, smirking.

Disgusted, she turned away. "Come on, Conrad! I know you've been a little... needy since Lydia's escape. But let it be clear to you, I am not your substitute!" As she ran out of the room, his laughter followed her to her bedroom.

 **Dr. Rosen's Office**

"Congratulations! It'll be a boy!"

Emily knew before she'd seen Daniel's eyes that his greatest wish had come true. A son, an heir for the Grayson empire. She looked at him with a smile, while his gaze was glued on the monitor, where one could clearly see the outline of a tiny human being. She reached for his hand and squeezed it slightly. Only now did he seem to notice her at all. Stunned, she found that his eyes were gleaming damp as he looked at her.

"I thought you were glad that it was a boy. Or would you prefer a girl?"

He answered her question by bending down to her and gently touching her lips with his. "I love our baby," he said, looking deep into her eyes. "No matter if boy or girl. And I love you!"

Dr. Rosen cleared his throat. "I can imagine what wonderful news this must be for your parents, Mr. Grayson."

Emily watched as Daniel rolled his eyes annoyed. Of course, everyone here knew who he was and what to expect from him. This included the son and heir who would take over the Grayson company in the future. "And everything is all right with the baby?" She quickly interjected.

"Everything looks very good." Dr. Rosen nodded contentedly. "The measurements of the fetus are exactly the same as the gestation week." He looked at the chart and then nodded. "16 weeks", he confirmed again. He looked down at Emily. "Any discomfort, bleeding, feeling of sickness?"

She shook her head. "Nothing at all. And the best thing is that I don't feel any sickness."

Dr. Rosen smiled and then wiped the gel off Emily's belly. "Then all the best!" He quickly printed out the ultrasound image and handed it to her. "I'll see you in four weeks."

"Now we can begin to furnish the nursery," was the first thing Daniel came to mind after they had left the doctor's office.

"And we can find a few names in Charlotte's book," Emily smiled.

Daniel looked at her thoughtfully. "You mean the first name, because the second is already fixed."

"Why?" Emily asked, surprised.

"So, according to the tradition of the Grayson family, the grandson always gets the name of the grandfather as his second name." He cleared his throat. "That's why I'm called Daniel Edward Grayson."

"Conrad?!", she panted aghast, as she realized the meaning. "No way! There is no suitable first name to go with Conrad."

Daniel laughed about her statement. "Thankfully, we still have a few months left to decide," he said, smirking. "And now ..." He put his arms around her ..., "let's go baby-shopping!"

 _It's the perfect day,_ she thought. The sun was shining, her son was healthy, and with him the Grayson name would continue. She wished she could capture this moment on canvas. And while she and Daniel were looking for baby clothes, it started to rain...


	27. Past life

**Emily's beach house**

 **Four weeks later**

The last day of October was again a beautiful, sunny morning, when Emily decided to draw a little. The moments on the beach, in the morning, when no one was there, had a therapeutic effect on her. She carefully shifted Daniel's arm from her waist and was about to get up as he grabbed her arm.

"Hey, where are you going?" He asked, still sleepy.

"To the beach." She turned to him and gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose. "It's so nice outside. I'd like to finish the picture I started yesterday."

"Okay." He suppressed a yawn. "You don't mind me sleeping a little longer?"

"No." She leaned over him and kissed his neck. "Sleep tight."

She went into the bathroom and slipped quickly into a pair of leggings and a wide, white blouse, then took her easel, a block and a pencil and went to the beach. But this time, she noted astonished, she was not the first visitor. At some distance a man was playing with his son, who was estimated to be one year old, as he was still rather wobbly on his legs. The two had apparently not noticed her, so she set up her easel, looked for a free page in her block and began to draw. But soon she realized that her upfront act had not remained unnoticed. The little boy suddenly crawled towards her, then stopped a few feet in front of her and eyed her frowning.

"Carl, what are you doing? Don't bother the lady."

Emily looked up, amazed, as the boy's father approached her. _That voice_ , she thought. Something was familiar. And apparently she was not a stranger to him either, because he took a sharp breath when he reached her.

"Emily?"

She slowly raised her head and looked at him. "Excuse me, but I don't know who you are," she said quickly. She pinched her eyes to look at him. He was not unattractive with his dark hair, beard, and green eyes. She knew she had heard this voice before, but somehow she couldn't put together the puzzle pieces.

"Jack ... Jack Porter!"

She hesitantly took his hand, and squeezed it slightly. The name was actually familiar to her. Both, Charlotte and Nolan, had mentioned Jack Porter. He owned the bar, the 'Stowaway', she knew, and he had also been one of her friends, just like Nolan. In addition, he had been married to the late Amanda Clarke, or better, Emily Thorne, before they had changed identity in the juvie. Nolan had also told her that Jack Porter, like him and Aiden, were the only ones who knew about her true identity. All the things she had learned, but she hadn't any memories. "Emily Grayson." She smiled uneasy because she had no idea how to start a conversation with him. It was strange to meet him. He probably knew more about her life than herself.

He smiled as well. "Yes, I know." He pointed to his son, who was now playing in the sand again. "This is Carl." He tilted his head. "I think he recognized you."

Emily nodded. "He's Amanda's son," she said hesitantly. She saw him frowning.

"What do you know about Amanda?" He asked, surprised.

She described a wide circle with her arms. "Everything. Nolan told me everything," she explained.

"Then you know I knew from your plan to destroy the Graysons?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Nolan told me." She saw how he shook his head and tensed his jaw muscles. "What?" She asked confused.

He pointed to her waist, where her baby belly was clearly visible. "After all you've done in the past to destroy Daniel and his family, now you want to live and raise your child with him?"

She heard the hate out of his words and shrugged. Protectively, she put a hand over her stomach. "It ... it's also his child," she said weakly.

"A Grayson baby!" He snorted. "You've been so obsessed for years of taking revenge on anyone who bears the Grayson name that you even put our relationship at risk!"

She looked at him as if he had just slapped her. "What?" She stammered.

He stepped back and sighed. "I shouldn't have said that." He bent down and took his son in his arms. "Forget what I said," he repeated again.

Emily was still too shocked about his words to be able to follow him. She watched him helplessly as he left in the other direction. She dropped into the warm sand. What hadn't Nolan told her? How had her connection to Jack been? He had talked about a relationship. But if she had had a relationship with Jack, why had she wanted to elope with Aiden? She groaned and run through her curls. Nothing in her life seemed to make any sense. She suddenly felt a slight flutter in her belly and stopped breathing reflexively. She waited for a while to see if it would happen again. But when nothing happened, she rose and packed her things. She had just walked a few steps as she felt the flutter again, as if a butterfly would gently touch her belly from inside with its wings. She stopped and put a hand on her stomach. There was something in her life that made sense: The baby. And she was ready to forget about her past. Still a hand on her stomach, she slowly walked back to the beach house.

* * *

 ** _I made a teaser trailer for the fanfic._ _Because it's not allowed to link youtube videos, if you are interested, just type my channel name into the search window: LexzieGirl_ **


	28. Flashback

**Emily's beach house**

 **Four weeks later**

"I still can't believe that Mom really agreed on a second wedding for you and Daniel," Charlotte said, skimming through the book for baby names before her.

"Yes, it's like a miracle." Ironically, Emily rolled her eyes then opened the wardrobe. She briefly inspected the content, then threw some clothes on the bed.

Frowning, Charlotte watched her for a while, then got back to her book. "Okay, then let's continue with 'T'," she said, and began to read. "Taurus, Terrance, Theodore, Thomas, Timothy, Travis, Tristan ..."

"Stop!" Emily groaned. "Do you think any name fits to" Conrad "?"

"Maybe Theodore?" Charlotte suggested timidly.

"No." Emily tore another piece of clothing off the hook and threw it furiously on the bed. "It's too old fashioned!" She rolled her eyes. "All these names are as good as the clothes in this wardrobe!"

Charlotte jumped quickly from the bed when she saw Emily burst into tears. "Hey! It's all right." She put her arms around her sister-in-law. "We're buying a new dress."

Emily sank to the bed weakly. "I'm convinced that Victoria did this on purpose."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked, frowning.

"To wait such a long time until I became too fat to fit into a wedding dress!" Emily said, frustrated. "She doesn't do anything without ulterior motives!"

Charlotte nodded, smiling. "Yes, you're probably right. But that doesn't matter. It is your day, yours and Daniel's. And even if you are already married, it will be a very special event for both of you."

"You mean, because I can't remember the first wedding?"

Charlotte nodded. "Exactly. Oh, wait ..." She reached into her handbag and took out a piece of paper. "I have kept the note, with your vow at that time."

"Show me!" Curiously, Emily took the note from her hand and began to read.

"Daniel, ... I've looked forward to this day since I was a little girl. Thank you for letting me into your life, into your family. Through you, I have become the woman that I've always wanted to be. The woman that I needed to be. From the moment I met you, I knew that this moment was in our destiny. We share a bond that is unbreakable, until death parts us."

Like a flash, images suddenly flickered through her mind: _Hands reaching for her and carrying her off; prison bars, that closed before her; A box with the symbol of her tattoo; Herself as she spilled Daniel a drink over his jacket, and a bloody hand that slipped out of hers, while the lifeless body sank into the sea_ ... The memory of it was so strong that she gasped in horror.

"Emily, what is it?" Charlotte looked at her worried.

"I ... I can remember ..." she stammered, while she was sitting on the bed as if paralyzed, unable to move.

"What?" Charlotte panted alarmed. "Emily, what can you remember?" She shook her slightly, then jumped up quickly from the bed when she didn't get any response.

Emily was still in a stock-still state when Charlotte came back with Daniel.

He quickly sat down on the bed and took her hand. "Emily?" He began softly. When he didn't get any response either he looked at his sister sharply. "What happened? What did you tell her?"

Charlotte took the note with the vow and held it to him. "She read this. You know...," she explained. "...her vow from the wedding. And then, she suddenly said she can remember."

He looked at her anxiously. "You mean, she can remember that I...?" He paused as he saw Charlotte shaking her head.

"I don't know. But she doesn't respond to my questions."

He gently caressed Emily's cheek. "She's in shock!" He said, after she still remained motionless. "You stay with her! I'll call the doctor and let Mom and Dad know."

Charlotte carefully put her arm around her after Daniel had left. She wondered what she had remembered that had given her a shock. Could it be that she could remember how Daniel had shot her? She took the note with the vow and crumpled it. It was the name Emily suddenly murmured, that made her hold her breath.

"Daniel..."


	29. Worry

**Emily's beach house**

"How is she?" Daniel asked anxiously after the doctor had examined Emily.

"I gave her a mild sedative," he said. "She'll sleep for a while."

"And the baby?" Charlotte asked concerned.

The doctor looked at her thoughtfully. "That's what I'm worried about. Stress for the mother also causes stress for the baby, which can lead to a premature birth." He looked at Daniel sympathetically. "A baby born in the 24th week of pregnancy has little to no chance of survival."

"Can we help her somehow?" Conrad interjected.

The doctor nodded. "Now that you can never tell when she will get another memory flashback, it would be good if someone was around all the time. If she gets into this state of shock once more, medical help is required," he emphasized again.

"Maybe it would be better if she moved back into the manor." Charlotte quickly looked at her parents. "Mom, Dad, what do you think?"

"As far as I'm concerned." Victoria shrugged her shoulders casually. "She can sleep in the guest room again." She looked at her son. "Daniel, do you agree?"

He nodded tiredly. "Yes, I think it's better if she's not alone. I'm often busy in the editorial office and can't always leave immediately."

The doctor nodded contentedly. "Very well then. There is our solution." He looked at Daniel with a serious face. "It's important that every stress is avoided. She needs rest."

"Then the wedding falls through," Charlotte said visibly disappointed.

"It was a crazy idea anyway," Victoria interrupted, rolling her eyes. She threw back her long hair. "Do you already have a name for your son?" She turned to Daniel.

He shook his head mechanically.

"Well, I think you should find one soon, given the circumstances, that she can lose..."

"Victoria!" Conrad interrupted his wife. "I think we should leave Daniel and Emily alone now." He took her forearm. "And you, Charlotte, please come along, too!"

She nodded devotedly and then leaned forward to give her brother a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry, Danny! Emily and the baby will be fine," she said consolingly.

"And I'll go, too," the doctor said, reaching for Daniel's hand. "If you need me, give me a call!"

"Can I ... see her now?" He asked reluctantly.

The doctor nodded. "Before she fell asleep, she had asked for you." He smiled. "I think she'll be happy to see you when she wakes up the next time."

Daniel exchanged a meaningful look with Charlotte. Both of them probably thought the same thing. Had Emily seen who shot her? When everyone had left, he went slowly upstairs to the bedroom. She lay there like Sleeping Beauty. Her long blond hair, fanning around her rosy face. She looked peaceful, presumably because of the sedative that the doctor had given her. He sat hesitantly on the edge of the bed and stared down at her. _How could we go on with our lives when her memory would return completely?_ He asked himself. _Would she still want to live with me at all? And what would happen to the baby?_ He carefully pushed the blanket back and laid his hand gently on her protruding belly. "I'm so sorry," He murmured. "It's all my fault." Startled, he jerked as Emily put her hand over his.

"Daniel?" She whispered asleep.

"I'm here." He held onto her hand. "How are you?" He asked, then, in a slightly trembling voice.

"I don't know ..." She blinked at the light. "Somehow ... dazed."

"It's the sedative that the doctor gave you," he said quietly. "You fell asleep afterwards." He gently caressed her forehead. "Can you remember what happened before?"

She nodded. "Yes, I suddenly had images in my head," she began hesitantly. "I believe those were memories."

"What kind of images?" He asked, noticing his heart beating faster with fearful anticipation.

"I don't know exactly ..." She shook her head. "It doesn't make sense much. But you told me how we got to know each other ..." She smiled all of a sudden. "I really spilled my drink over your jacket."

Daniel nodded, feeling his throat getting tight. What had she remembered? "Anything else?" He asked reluctantly.

"Nolan had told me I was in the juvie. I saw the prison bars in front of me and ..." She stopped short and looked up at him. "... blood," she stammered. "My hands ... full of ... blood ... and ... a boat and ... water ..."

She had that stiff look again, and Daniel could feel cold shivers running down his spine. _She could remember_ , he thought. Although she didn't know who the shooter was apparently. He grabbed her arms and pulled her to his chest. "Stop it, please!" He begged urgently. "The doctor said that any kind of stress can hurt the baby!"

"I ... I can't control what I think," she said distraught, leaning against his chest. "But I don't want anything bad happening to the baby."

He laid her down gently. "The doctor said it would be better if you moved back into the manor. My parents agreed."

"But why?" She looked at him blankly. "I like it here in our beach house."

Daniel nodded, sighing. "Yes, me too. But there should be someone with you, when your memory comes back like that. You saw what happened now. And I'm not always there. My mother and Charlotte, on the other hand, are always available."

She nodded and placed a hand on her belly. "I'll do anything to protect the baby," she said firmly.

Daniel put his hand over hers. "I saw the baby names book on the bed." He smiled all of a sudden. "Have you and Charlotte found a name already?"

She shook her head. "No, not yet. But we're still working on it."

He got up and went to the wardrobe. "When you're over there in the manor, you have enough time to pick out a few suitable names. We both go through them and decide for one. "He pointed to the clothes. "Shall I pack some things for you?"

Emily sat up. "No, it's okay. I can do it myself." She looked at him thoughtfully. "What about the wedding?"

"Postponed." He looked at her sympathetically as he saw the disappointment in her face. "We'll catch up on it later. I promise! But at the moment the stress would simply be too much for the baby."

She rose and then put her arms around his neck. "You'll be a great father," she said softly, kissing him tenderly. "You're already protecting him."

"And you are going to be a wonderful mother," he returned the compliment and then kissed her again.

"Are you done with it?"

Startled, they broke apart as they saw Charlotte standing in the doorway. "Yes, we are." Emily slipped out of Daniel's arm and went to the wardrobe. "I'll pack a few things," she said, pulling out her travel bag.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?" Charlotte whispered to Daniel.

He nodded. "We're waiting downstairs," he called to Emily, before he left with Charlotte.

"Spill it out!" She said impatiently, when they were standing in the living room. "Does she know what happened on the wedding day?"

Daniel shook his head. "Not entirely. She remembers fragments, but nothing precisely." He sighed frustrated. "I hate myself for that! Quite frankly, Charlotte, I should be happy about the progress and instead I'm standing here and fear that I could lose everything."

She nodded. "You could lose everything," she emphasized. "What do you want to do now?"

He lifted his arms helplessly and then dropped them. "Nothing," he said. "I can't do anything but wait and hope she will forgive me."

Charlotte placed her hand on his shoulder. "She will forgive you," she said convincingly. "Only because of the baby."

He looked at her skeptically. He wasn't as certain of that as Charlotte. But he hoped she would be right. He raised his head as he saw Emily coming down the stairs with her baggage. "Give it to me," he said, taking her bag.

Charlotte gently took Emily's arm, and together they went over to Grayson manor.


	30. Friendship

**Nolan's Mansion, Hamptons**

 **Three weeks later - December 19th**

"Hey, Ems!" Nolan waved a towel, while he watched Emily swimming her laps in the inside pool of the villa.

"A few more laps," she said, dipping again.

He laughed. "Don't you think it's enough? The baby will be born as a dolphin."

Sighing, she interrupted her swim and slowly went up the steps. "You can't understand that, Nolan. I feel weightless in the water. Can't say that when I'm ashore." She rolled her eyes and pointed to her big belly. "And I don't think I can make it for 13 more weeks!"

He handed her a bathrobe and smiled. "I don't envy you, but just think about the reward in the end."

"Yes." She put a hand on her belly. "I wonder all the time what mother I'm going to be. I mean, I really didn't have a role model."

"You had your father," Nolan said. "And I think he did a good job raising you as long as he could." He went to a table and poured himself and Emily some lemonade.

"I'm glad I have you to talk about particular things," she said, sighing, falling heavily into a chair. "Sometimes I wish I could entrust to Daniel or maybe Charlotte. But then I would have to tell everything else. And I'm not ready to tell them about Amanda Clarke."

"Or that Charlotte is your half-sister," Nolan added.

Emily nodded. "Yes, that too. Imagine how she would react if I told her that her parents had her own father killed."

Nolan pinched his nose thoughtfully. "No, not really recommendable." He took a sip of his lemonade. "How is it over there in the house?" He asked.

"I wish I could go back to the beach house, but Daniel is afraid something will happen to me when I'm alone." She frowned at him. "He is in the editorial office every day. I hardly see him. It's almost as if he is deliberately avoiding me."

"And when you are together?"

"Then he's super worried and overprotective." She sighed softly. "We had no sex for three weeks." She rolled her eyes. "He probably believes it's too much stress."

Nolan laughed. "I don't know how stressful the sex with him was before, but yes, I can understand him a little bit." He eyed her round belly skeptically. "He is probably afraid that it could harm the baby."

She nodded. "Yes, he is like a mother hen, extremely anxious. I hope this will change someday."

"Then it's a miracle that he has allowed you to visit me," Nolan said, grinning. "Not that I have plans to give you too much stress."

"To be with you is kind of ... therapeutic because I can talk about everything what's on my mind," she said, looking at him. "Gradually more and more puzzle pieces are coming together. Even though I can't remember anything yet, sometimes I get a feeling of familiarity. I know I'm about to remember everything soon."

"That's good." Nolan nodded. "However, I wonder what you will do when you know who shot you."

"I have no idea." She shrugged. "If it was Victoria, I don't know how to live with her under one roof."

"Would you report her to the police?"

She gently stroked her belly. "Do I really want to take Daniel's mother away and the baby's grandmother?" She shook her head. "I really don't know. If she did shoot me, I'd just like to know why she did it."

Nolan scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, it's not that hard to guess, after years of trying to destroy her family."

"This is my family, too," she murmured. She rose slowly, reaching for her clothes. "I'm going to go now. Are you coming to the Graysons's Christmas party?"

"For nothing in the world I'd want to miss that." He rolled his eyes and grinned mischievously.

"Good, then we'll see you there." She looked outside the window. "It looks like it could snow soon," she said, looking at him thoughtfully. "Wouldn't it be nice to have a white Christmas?"

He nodded. "That would be the perfect Christmas party."

Emily smiled at him and then went to the bathroom to change clothes.


	31. Charade

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

 **December 25th**

"So, are you ready?" Daniel held out his hand, smiling, as they stood on the top of the stairs.

"I'm a little nervous because there are so many people," Emily admitted. "Besides, I look like a whale."

He put his hand on her belly and looked deeply into her eyes. "You're beautiful!"

"And you're a liar!" She winced as he suddenly lowered his lips to hers while his fingers were sliding through her hair. "Daniel ...!" Cautiously, she pushed him away, even though she felt the need to pull him closer. "You ... you are ruining my hairstyle."

"Maybe later?"

She felt as if a whole swarm of butterflies were flying through her body. _He wants me,_ she thought happily. "Yes, later," she replied shyly.

"Let's go, otherwise I can't guarantee anything," he muttered as he kissed her again.

"Let's go." She felt slightly dizzy as she walked down the stairs to greet the guests, who had come by the dozens to attend the legendary Christmas party of the Graysons. Many of the faces were new to her. But there were also some familiar ones, like for example Jack Porter, who took part on the celebrations with his girlfriend Margaux. Emily knew that Margaux was also the owner of the 'Voulez' magazine and associate of Daniel. Nolan had introduced her, at one of her visits, to Patrick, his friend and Victoria's son from a former relationship. She had liked him immediately, and even now he was among the guests. And there was Charlotte, her little half-sister, even though she had no idea. She was talking to some guests. But it was not Charlotte who suddenly caught her attention, but a young woman with long, dark blond hair, who was about to re-arrange the buffet. She knew she had seen this woman before. But where? She was apparently not one of the guests, but seemed to belong to the party caterer.

"That's Sara," a voice suddenly said behind her.

She turned abruptly. "Nolan!" She exclaimed in surprise. "You scared me."

"My apologies! I didn't mean to." He gave her a scrutinizing look. "You really look beautiful tonight. Has anybody told you this yet?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, Daniel. Just before we entered the fray."

"Aha. Well, then he's responsible for that glow on your face," he said smirking.

"What?" Startled, she groped to her cheek. "Where?"

"It's symbolic," he explained. "It means that everyone can see how happy you are."

"He kissed me," she whispered to him. "And I think he wants more." She looked back at the woman who had just finished her work. "What did you say, who's that?"

Nolan cleared his throat. "Sara," he replied curtly. "You remember? I told you about her."

Emily tilted her head slightly. "Sara," she murmured. And suddenly she remembered. "Daniel's ex girlfriend?" She said, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Shhh ..." Nolan quickly pulled her aside. "Not so loud! The walls have ears here. But yes," he nodded. "Daniel's ex, with the emphasis on ex."

"What does she want here?" Emily felt a strange feeling seized hold of her that she hadn't known yet: jealousy.

"She's an employee of the catering service," Nolan explained. "I bet this is Victoria's doing."

"Oh, that witch!" Her hands clenched involuntarily into fists.

"Don't worry," Nolan whispered to her. "Daniel is through with her. He is committed to you."

"Yes, because I lied to him that I was pregnant." She rolled her eyes.

"You were pregnant, I mean, you still are!" Nolan gently took her arm. "Listen, don't make a scene now! This is exactly what Victoria is expecting from you."

"You really think she's responsible?"

Nolan nodded. "This clearly carries her thumbprint." He turned and pulled Emily with him. "Don't look!" He hissed all of a sudden.

"What is it?" She did the exact opposite of what he had said and wished she had listened to him. Daniel was standing next to Sara, and it looked as if the two had a heated argument.

"I told you, you shouldn't look!" Sighing, he pushed her further. "He probably doesn't want her here either."

"Looks more like a quarrel among lovers." She placed a hand on her lower back, the other on her belly. She turned to Nolan. "Please, bring me to my room! If Daniel is asking where I am, tell him I didn't feel well."

He looked at her worried. "Are you really feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine." She looked at him. "But I have to do something so that he doesn't get any ideas."

"Oha, apparently old Emily is back again," Nolan said, smirking. "You cunning minx!"

"I just don't want to lose what I have just reclaimed," she said sincerely. "What you told me about Sara ..." She took a deep breath. "They really loved each other, and he even wanted to leave me for her. They would be together if I hadn't lied. But my human kindness doesn't get so far to leave him to her. Daniel belongs to me!"

"That was a clear statement." Nolan nodded impressed. "Listen, I'll just let Patrick know, then I'll escort you upstairs, okay?"

She nodded, while she still looked at Daniel and Sara, who were now talking amicably, and even were smiling now and then. It hurt to see them together. Did he still love her? Her feminine instinct told her that Sara still had feelings for him. But she couldn't keep thinking about it when Nolan returned.

"Ready to go?" He inquired, looking at her worried. "Are these real tears?"

She shook her head, wiping her eyes. When she went upstairs with Nolan, she realized that she hadn't lied. She really felt bad.


	32. Certainty

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

 **Four weeks later**

Tossing and turning, Emily lay in her bed while dramatic scenes were playing-back in her mind.

 _"I thought I'd bring you a real drink, since I suspect you're about as pregnant as I am. This photo proves that you've been targeting my family and my son for years. Now who are you?"_

 _"As of five hours ago I'm Emily Grayson."_

 _"You're trying to bait me. You'd like nothing more than for me to grab you by the throat so that you can say that I'm crazy."_

 _"You know, for once, you're not completely mad, Victoria. Daniel needed a little last-minute incentive, so I stole from the master manipulator. After all isn't a fake pregnancy how you landed Conrad?"_

 _"Well, the difference is that I believed I loved him. But you're nothing but a predator. An empty shell who seeks to wreak havoc. That's it."_

 _"Do you even hear yourself, Victoria? What a sad, sad woman."_

 _"To care about what you think, Emily, I would have to feel something for you. You are as worthless to me as this bracelet. Go on. Go after it, before the other bottom-feeders beat you to it."_

 _"Goodbye, Victoria!"_

 _"I heard everything."_

 _"Daniel!"_

 _"What, you gonna shoot me?"_

 _"No!"_

 _"You set me up. Two years! Two years and I bet you laughed at me every time I questioned you. And you just fed me more of your lies. And why? Why did you tell me I was gonna be a father?"_

 _"I'm sorry...!"_

It was the shot that made her wake up from this nightmare. Sweaty and with a wild beating heart, she sat up and looked beside her. The bedside next to her was empty. A look at the alarm clock confirmed that it was already almost noon. He'd been at work for a long time. "Daniel ..." she stammered. Suddenly everything was back. Her memory, the retrospection of August 8th, her wedding day. It was Daniel who shot her!

Still struggling for air, she got out of bed and went slowly to the bathroom. She splashed some cold water on her face and then began to dress mechanically. _Why?_ she thought. _Why him? Of all people I had suspected, why did it have to be Daniel, my husband and father of my baby?_ She suddenly felt a twinge in her abdomen and reflexively put her hand on the spot. She didn't have time to worry about it. She had to find him. Slowly she went downstairs and hoped that there was no one to stop her. It was the house maid that suddenly crossed her path.

"Mrs. Grayson? Can I do something for you?"

Emily shook her head. "I have an appointment with my gynecologist," she lied. "I'll be back soon." She could see the doubt in the employees' face.

"You're driving alone? But Mr. Grayson told me not to let you go out alone."

"It won't take long. He knows, by the way. You can call him and ask," she added quickly.

"All right." The maid stepped aside, then smiled. "I trust your word. But please, come back after the date."

 _Like in a prison, when one has permission to go out_ , it flashed through her mind. "Where are my mother-in-law and Charlotte?"

"They're running some errands. They'll be back soon," the house maid said.

"Good, then ... see you later." Emily reached for the car keys and left the house. She had just driven a few miles, when she felt another twinge. "Not now, baby," she murmured as she stepped on the gas pedal and headed for her destination, the publishing house of the 'Voulez' magazine. She entered the elevator and leaned exhausted against the wall. The contractions, which she had only felt slightly at first, had become stronger and spread in her back too. _Only Braxton-Hicks-contractions_ , she tried to reassure herself. Completely normal in the last weeks of pregnancy. She had reached the floor where the premises of the 'Voulez' were, and entered Daniel's office without knocking.

He looked up, surprised, as she opened the door and entered. "Emily?" He shouted in surprise. "What ...?" But he didn't come any further when she walked towards him and glared at him.

"I can remember," she said. "I can remember everything. I know you were the one who shot me!" She saw how he turned pale and continued quickly. "Why Daniel? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I ... I was so happy when you ... appeared alive," he stammered. "And you didn't recognize me and yet wanted to be with me again."

"I never would have considered to get back to you, if I had known that you were the one who wanted to kill me!" She yelled furiously.

"I never wanted to kill you!" He said desperately. "You have to believe me. I was just so hurt and confused at the moment, and drunk …" he added. "... I just didn't know what I was doing!"

"You expect me to believe you?" She said. "You lied to me! The whole time! You probably secretly met Sara behind my back, too!"

"I haven't seen Sara since Christmas," he said. "Emily, I swear to you since we are together again, I have been faithful to you!" He ran a trembling hand through his hair. "I was afraid the entire time that you would find out," he said weakly. "Even if you won't believe me, but I have kept it from you because I didn't want to put our close relationship at risk."

"Our close relationship?" She said contemptuously. "There is no 'our', Daniel! Not after what you've done. And I'm not talking about shooting me. I'm talking about your lies for months, pretending to love me. And I trusted you ... " Suddenly tears were running down her cheeks. "I trusted you because I believed you, because I thought we'd have another chance. You destroyed everything!"

"Emily ... please, ... listen to me!" He took a step towards her, but she backed off.

"Don't touch me!" She tried to hold on to the table when her belly started to clench painfully. Groaning, she leaned forward and began to breathe shallowly. _These were no Braxton-Hicks-contractions_ , she thought, when she noticed a strange feeling in her abdomen and then felt a warm liquid streaming down her legs, flowing together to a puddle on the floor. Dazed, she realized that Daniel grabbed her by her arms and pushed her on a chair.

"Stay here and don't move!" He said urgently. "I'm calling an ambulance!"

Even if she had wanted, she wasn't able to move. Disbelievingly she stared at the puddle beneath her legs and gradually realized that it was amniotic fluid. She put her hands around her stomach. The next contraction came back so fast and painful that she could hardly hold on to the chair. She writhed and winced of pain. The baby, her little son! Helpless, she began to sob. What had she done? She was only in her 32nd week, eight weeks before her due date. Did he have a chance to survive at all? She looked up as Daniel entered the office.

Carefully, he put his arms around her. "It'll be all right," he muttered soothingly. "The ambulance is on the way."

She wanted to push him away, but her fingers clawed into his upper arm. She didn't know how to go on, but she was glad he was by her side. Sobbing, she pressed her face to his chest and reached for his hand as another contraction hit her. When the ambulance arrived and the paramedics put her on the stretcher, she looked at him pleadingly. "Please ..." she sobbed. "... please, don't let him die ...!" When he loosened his hand from hers, she suddenly felt cold. But shortly thereafter, she felt nothing at all when she fell into a deep sleep.


	33. Julian

**Suffolk County Memorial Hospital**

Daniel couldn't remember a moment in his life where he had felt so desperate, helpless, and guilty. He was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital, his head buried in his hands as the tears were running through his fingers. He still couldn't understand what had just happened. He had become a father. By an emergency c-section, Emily had given birth to a little boy who was fighting for his life in an incubator. Although he had been there for her during the birth progress most of the time, Emily refused to see him now. _I deserve it_ _,_ he thought. His anxiety, which had accompanied him all the months, had now been confirmed. Now that she could remember everything, she wanted nothing else to do with him. And presumably she would just leave him and take the baby with her if he was stronger. The baby! He groaned. They still hadn't have any name for him because they had believed to have time until the due date.

"Daniel!"

He looked up and recognized his mother, followed by his father and Charlotte.

"Mom ..." He got up slowly, then let himself embrace by her without resistance, while the tears were still running freely.

"We came as fast as we could," she said, squeezing him.

"How are Emily and the baby?" Charlotte gently put a hand on his shoulder.

He carefully freed himself from his mother's arms and wiped his eyes. "He ... he was too small to ... breathe on his own," he began. "He's lying in an incubator, with artificial respiration and drip-fed ..." He broke off when the memory of how he'd first seen his son, wired with tubes in his body, was simply too much to bear.

"Oh Daniel ..." Victoria squeezed him again. "How could that happen? Everything was all right."

He stepped back and shook his head. "She knows it ..." he began. "She can remember everything. She knows I shot her."

"Oh no ..." Charlotte slapped her hand to her mouth. "No wonder this caused a shock again."

"She ... doesn't want to see me." He ran through his hair with a trembling hand, then looked around for help. "What should I do?"

"You're not doing anything," Victoria ordered. "Will she report you to the police?"

He shook his head tiredly. "I don't know. But I don't care. I'd go to jail voluntarily, if I knew our little son survives and Emily forgives me."

"It doesn't have to happen that way," Conrad interrupted.

"She'll forgive you," Charlotte said urgently. "She's probably still in shock and has to process it all first." She looked at him with a frown. "Do you think she wants to see me?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It's worth a try. She's in room 5."

"I'll try my best," Charlotte promised, then went down the hall to Emily's room. As she entered the room, her gaze fell instantly upon the large bed where her sister-in-law lay pale and helpless. An infusion bottle dangled over her head, but no other life-support devices could be seen. Carefully, she came closer. "Hey" She said gently. "May I come in?" When Emily nodded weakly, she pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed. "Congratulations!" She said with a forced smile. "You're a mother now."

"He's so ... tiny," Emily whispered. "I haven't even been able to see him yet. They put him right in an incubator." She wiped her eyes. "I don't know if he will survive."

"Don't say that, Emily!" Charlotte took her hand and squeezed it. "He's a fighter. All Graysons are fighters." She saw Emily turning her head sideways, tears running down her cheeks. "Hey!" She gently wiped the tears away. "He will survive. Believe me."

Emily looked at her. "Have you spoken to Daniel?"

Charlotte swallowed the lump that had formed. Should she tell Emily the truth? "I ... knew it already," she then confessed quietly. She saw Emily's head jerking. "He told us right after the wedding, after you ..." She broke off, shrugging helplessly. "I didn't believe him at first. Daniel would never deliberately hurt someone."

"But he did," Emily interjected.

"He had just learned that Sara had tried to kill herself. And then he must have listened to the conversation with you and my mother. He swears that he hadn't intentionally planned it. He hadn't wanted to hurt you. The gun had been directly in front of him. He doesn't know how it got there." She looked at Emily questioningly. "Do you know where the gun came from?"

"No, and I don't care," she said quickly to avoid a further interrogation. "The fact of the matter is that he shot me!"

"That's months ago. He has become a different person since then," Charlotte said urgently. "He loves you, Emily! I think he always has, even then, when you weren't always honest with him."

Emily nodded lost in thought. "Please, go now, Charlotte!" she begged. "I'm tired."

"Of course." She jumped up and squeezed Emily's hand. "Think about what I said. If you don't want to do it for Daniel, then do it for the baby."

When Charlotte had left, Emily was sitting in the bed, thinking about everything her sister had told her. She thought back to the moment Daniel had held her hand when the labor pains had become unbearable. He had accompanied her through all phases of the birth, until the doctors had given her the anesthesia that had been necessary before the emergency c-section. Instinctively, she knew that he had said the truth when he had claimed to love her. And she felt the same, even if she persuaded herself that it wasn't the case. But was love alone enough to undo what he had done? Could she ever trust him again under these circumstances? She knew she wanted nothing more than to be with him again. She was aware that this moment must have been a shock to him too. She shook her head slightly. _It is too soon_ , she thought. Too soon to face him now. His deception was too profound to forgive him just yet. She reached for the call button and pressed it. A nurse appeared immediately.

"Can I see ... my son?" She asked hesitantly.

The nurse nodded. "But just a few minutes. You are not strong enough to leave the bed for a long time." She took the wheelchair and helped Emily into after hanging the infusion bottle onto a rack. Together, they went to the neonatal ward, where all the babies lay in their incubators, kept alive by tubes and life support machines.

The sight was so heartbreaking that Emily felt tears in her eyes. "Where is he?" She looked at the nurse questioningly.

"Right here." She pointed to an incubator that was right in the front row. "Baby Grayson, an unusual name," she said smiling, after reading the name tag.

"We thought we had plenty of time," Emily said weakly. She could feel the tears running down her cheeks as she looked at her little son, who was lying weak and helpless in his glassy crib. Tubes led into his nose and mouth and a heart monitor monitored his breathing. Although he was so tiny, he looked like a real baby. Even a fair fluff of hair could be seen on his little head.

"It's always a shock for parents to see their child the first time," the nurse said sympathetically. "But don't worry. He still needs some help with breathing and nutrition, but otherwise he is healthy."

Emily wiped her eyes. "He's so tiny and ... fragile," she stammered.

"There are much smaller premature babies," the nurse said. "He'll catch up quickly." She gently squeezed Emily's hand. "I'll bring you back to your room now. Perhaps you can find a name for him soon?"

Emily nodded and tried to remember what names she and Daniel had opted for. There had been different names, but she chose spontaneously. "Julian," she decided. "Julian Conrad Grayson!"

The nurse nodded, smiling. "What a lovely name! I'll write it on the name tag."

"Can I make a phone call?" Emily asked, after the nurse had helped her back into her bed.

"Of course." She pointed to the phone next to Emily's bed. "Call whoever you want." She smiled at her again and then left the room.

Lost in thought, Emily stared at the phone, before she began to dial ..


	34. Return

**Nolan's Mansion, Hamptons**

Nolan thoughtfully pressed the red 'hang up' button and then began to dial again. It was not long before he had the person he wanted to talk to.

 _"Nolan? What's up?"_

"Good to hear your voice, too, Aiden. There's actually news." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Emily is at the hospital."

 _"What?!"_

"Don't panic! She is doing well so far," he said reassuring. "However, she had a premature delivery. Her little son is in an incubator because he was too weak to breathe on his own."

 _"How could that happen? I asked you to take care of her!"_

"Don't blame me!" Nolan rolled his eyes. "She called me earlier from the hospital. The reason for the premature delivery was that her memory had suddenly returned."

 _"You mean she can remember everything that was before?"_

"Exactly that," Nolan confirmed. "And you don't believe who shot her ..."

 _"Don't tease, just tell me, Nolan!"_

Nolan took a deep breath. "No lesser than our Danny Boy."

 _"Daniel shot at Emily?!"_

"Yes, and my response was the same when she told me." He shook his head slightly. "If I imagine that I had also encouraged her to throw herself at him." He sighed. "My knowledge of human nature failed. I truly believed he had feelings for her." He listened, then frowned. "Aiden, are you still there?"

 _"I'll kill the bastard if I get a hold of him!"_

"Relax! Another criminal act is the last thing you can use. We should trust Emily. She will see about it."

 _"From the hospital bed? How is she supposed to do that? No, I have a better idea ..."_

"I can't wait to hear your idea," said Nolan, sighing.

 _"I need your help!"_

"Sure, if I can."

 _"I'll take the next plane back. You have to take me to the hospital without someone noticing. You surely have such a hacker program, that gives you access to all rooms, right? I'll get her out of there!"_

"You know me too well." Nolan grinned, but then became serious again. "Thanks to the intranet, I have access to all areas of the hospital. I can even see her medical record and make changes."

 _"It's always good to have a computer specialist in the house."_

"Thank you!" Nolan bowed slightly. "But as much as I would like to help you with your plan, I don't think Emily goes along voluntarily."

 _"Then I have to use force."_

Nolan raised the eyebrows in surprise. "You will kidnap her?"

 _"Something like that. She'll be grateful for freeing her off the hands of the Graysons."_

"Or she will hate you," Nolan interjected. "May I remind you that Emily is now a Grayson?"

 _"Only on paper. That doesn't count."_

"What's going to happen to the little one?" Nolan asked.

 _"If he is still in the incubator, he stays better where he is now."_

"You want to separate Emily from her baby?" Nolan nodded disbelievingly. "She will never allow that."

 _"Like I said, she has no choice. So, will you help me now?"_

"Okay, yeah, I'll help you," Nolan agreed. "I'm doing this only because I think she should better avoid Daniel and his family."

 _"Especially Daniel, that sonofabitch! She should turn him in, so that he can rot in prison!"_

"Boy oh boy, you have a bad mood! Don't forget where pure hate can bring you. Try to keep a cool head." He cleared his throat. "Where do you want to take her, after the abduction?"

 _"I'll take her to Rebun Island. Takeda and some of his students will take care of her."_

"Yes, I think that could work." Nolan nodded contentedly. "Nobody will find or suspect her there."

 _"I'll finish and book the next plane. Be ready!"_

"I'm always ready," Nolan grinned. "I'll call Emily and tell her about your plan."

 _"Don't! I want to surprise her."_

"As you wish. But it might be that she's not so much looking forward to seeing you again, as you do," Nolan said cautiously.

 _"Because she can't remember us being a couple?"_

"No, she knows. It's because she still has feelings for Daniel."

 _"Did she say that?"_

"She didn't need to. The way she talked about him was a clear indication. She has no intention to report him. She said she could never look into her son's eyes again if she put his father in jail."

 _"Her damned stubbornness!"_

"More likely her past as Amanda Clarke," Nolan clarified. "She doesn't want her child to experience the same; to grow up with only one parent."

 _"Thanks for the warning, Nolan. But once she's back with me, she sure will see things differently. She will remember what we had and forget the Graysons once and for all."_

Aiden had already finished the conversation, when Nolan was still mulling over his words. He hoped that his friend was right and Emily would go back to him. But doubts remained. He remembered a conversation with her where she had confessed to him that she still loved Daniel. But perhaps her feelings had changed, after she'd learned that he had been the one who shot her. However, he had now to make preparations for her 'abduction'. Sighing, he rose, went to his laptop and opened it.


	35. Honesty

**Suffolk County Memorial Hospital**

 **Two days later**

Emily was about to fall asleep when she heard a soft knock on the door. Frowning, she sat up. The visiting hours were over. Who could it be? "Yes, please?" She said hesitantly, then froze when she saw who the visitor was. "Daniel, what are you doing here? I told you I don't want to see you!"

"Just five minutes, please!" He begged. "I want to explain everything to you."

"Do you want to tell me why you shot me, or why you didn't tell me the truth in all these months?" She asked furiously. "You know what? I don't care! We're done!"

"Please, hear me out..."

She jerked slightly as he approached her and then sat on the edge of the bed and reached for her hand. She cursed her treacherous body, who immediately responded to his touch. Despite her hate, a part of her would always love him. "Five minutes," she nodded hesitantly. As he ran through his hair, she saw his hand tremble. He looked pitiful with his glassy eyes, the dark rings around it and his designer stubble. And that was not all. "You're drunk," she said simply.

He shrugged. "I needed something to drink to give me courage to visit you at all," he admitted.

She felt a stab in her stomach. As a former alcohol addict, it was not quite safe to drink alcohol again. But she also knew that it was his way of dealing with problems, even if it was not a solution. "Say what you have to say," she urged.

"Since the cat is out of the bag," he began, then cleared his throat. "... Now we can be honest with each other."

Emily nodded.

"I wanted to ask you this the entire time ... Did you lie when you claimed to be pregnant?"

She had not expected this question, but of course it made sense. After all, he had shot at her because he had been disappointed not to become a father. "Yes," she admitted softly.

"Why?"

His gaze, which met her, made her feel a pang of guilt. He wanted the truth? He should get it. "I knew you felt more for Sara than you said," she said hesitantly. "You've always avoided me. I had to do something to prevent you from leaving me."

"And then you just made up a pregnancy?" He looked at her incredulously. "How did you imagine it should have gone on with such a lie?" He thought for a moment. "Oh yes, of course ..." He scratched his head. "You would have feigned a miscarriage after a few weeks. Am I right?"

She felt her mouth getting dry. From his point of view it sounded as if she was a calculating, insensible monster. And maybe he was right. She couldn't tell him about her original plan. He still had no idea she was Amanda Clarke in reality. And in no case could he know of her and Aiden. So she decided for another lie. "Yes," she said simply.

He shook his head and then laughed scornfully. "What a pity that your terrific plan didn't work out."

She looked at him shocked, and this time it was no act. "Don't say that! Julian is the only true and honest thing in my life!"

He twisted his mouth. "Seems like you're having a heart after all ..." He said, poking into her chest.

Her eyes filled with tears. Only now did she realize the extent of her intrigues and revenge. She had betrayed and hurt the people who had trusted her. She suddenly had a better understanding of why Daniel wanted to kill her.

"Spare me the false tears!" He said contemptuously. "Save them up for someone who still cares for you." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Okay, the five minutes are over, but I still have some questions. Then I won't bug you anymore."

She wiped her tears from her cheek and nodded. "What do you want to know?"

He took a deep breath and then stared into her eyes. "There were multiple ways you could have infiltrated my family. But you chose me, why?"

She shrugged. "You were expedient."

"I don't think so." He shook his head. "There is more to it than that. You went through great lying lengths to keep me around. Was any of it real?"

Emily felt more and more cornered by his questions. "What do you want to hear?"

"The truth, maybe. What about when I proposed to you, the first time I mean. Did you feel anything?"

She remembered the moment when he had proposed on the ship, in the rain. And she also remembered the feeling of happiness that she had felt at that moment. At that time she had been so naive and had thought she could align her revenge with her feelings for Daniel. Today she knew better.

"That's what I thought."

She raised her head confused. She hadn't said a word. But maybe he guessed that she hadn't lied. "There was a time when my feelings were real," she admitted reluctantly. "But the moment you aligned yourself with your father and became the Grayson, who you never wanted to be, it was all over."

"And that's why you hate me?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She could tell him the truth that she still loved him, in spite of everything, but would he believe her? It was true that she had planned to elope with Aiden and start a new life, far from retribution and the Graysons. Her love for Daniel was dead. But what he didn't know was that she had fallen in love with him again. And this time it were real emotions, without lies and intrigues. But she was not ready to confess to him. She was too hurt about his deception.

He nodded and rose quickly from the bed. "Don't worry, you don't have to answer," he said with a tired voice. "I got it." He went to the door and then turned to her. "I really thought we had a second chance. Tell Julian that I …" He shook his head. "No, maybe it's better, he never gets to know who his father was."

"Daniel ... wait!" She wanted to follow him, explaining that she would never take his son away from him, but she was still too weak. Tears of pain and helplessness rolled over her cheeks. She couldn't believe that he had simply given up everything without fighting ... her, the baby. Everything was thrown away, as if life had no meaning for him. An alarming thought crossed her mind. He wouldn't do anything stupid?

In the parking lot, Daniel opened the door to his car and slumped heavily onto the seat. He felt slightly dizzy, presumably from the alcohol he'd drunk before. But not nearly enough to kill the pain that raged in his chest. He had lost her, forever. She hated him. And he felt too tired and guilty to do anything about it. He opened the glove compartment and pulled out a small flask. _A comforter and friend in one_ , he thought, before he raised the flask to his lips and emptied it to the last drop. For a moment he just sat and waited for the effect. It came quickly and he began to grin involuntarily. Why had he given up drinking at all? It was so easy to find oblivion and to numb the pain. He groped for the key and turned it around. And although an inner voice warned him, he drove off and left everything behind.


	36. Abduction

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

"Oh my God!" Horrified, Charlotte was staring at the chaos in front of her as she entered her brother's room. Half-empty bottles of various alcohol and clothes were scattered all over the place. "Daniel?" She quickly ran downstairs, opened the front door, and stared at the empty place where he used to park his car.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?"

She turned abruptly when she heard her mother's voice. "Do you know where Daniel is?"

Victoria shrugged. "I don't know. I just came from the kitchen."

Charlotte looked at the clock. "It's already past eight pm. Usually he appears on time for dinner."

"Then he probably had other plans." Victoria made a casual hand movement. "You always say that he is old enough and doesn't need a babysitter anymore."

"Mom, he took the car, and he ..." She took a deep breath before continuing. "… he's drunk!"

Victoria looked at her with a doubtful look. "I don't believe that. This was long ago. He has learned from his mistakes."

"Come with me, I'll prove it to you!" Charlotte took her mother's arm and led her up into Daniel's room. "Well, do you believe me now?"

Victoria stared at the chaos and then sighed. "That's Emily's fault!" she said. "He had his life under control before she appeared again."

"He had nothing under control, Mom! He shot her! And now that she knows it, he is sick of guilt!"

"You talked to him?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Charlotte nodded. "He blames himself for everything. And you're the one who was responsible that he overheard the conversation between you and Emily." She gave her mother a scolding look.

"Come on!" Victoria shouted. "Would it have been better to make him believe they would be soon a happy family?"

"They could have been a happy family now, if Emily hadn't regained her memory," Charlotte said. "They were happy."

"Is it my fault that she can remember?" Victoria asked sulking.

"No." Charlotte shook her head. "But can't you understand how Daniel must feel now? Emily refused to see him. She even ordered that he was not allowed to visit the baby. And Julian is the only thing that gives him hope."

Victoria looked at her daughter, frowning. "He knows how dangerous it is to drive a car when he had drunken alcohol," she said hesitantly. "He won't risk his life so senselessly."

"I think his life is the last thing he thinks about now." Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Does it look to you as if he has his life under control right now?"

Victoria shook her head slowly. "I'll call your father. He should find out if he was found somewhere, drunk or ... injured."

Charlotte went to her mother and gently squeezed her hand. "I know you do sometimes as if you don't care," she began timidly. "But Danny was always your favorite child. I know you only want what's best for him."

Victoria looked surprised at her daughter. When had her little girl grown so wise? "Yes," she said quietly. "But I think his best and my best are not necessarily the same." She squeezed Charlotte's hand once again and then went downstairs to make a phone call.

 **Suffolk County Memorial Hospital**

Aiden snuck slowly down the hall, his mobile phone pressed tightly to his ear. "That was close!" he whispered. "Daniel just crossed my path. But he didn't see me."

 _"Daniel? What is his reason to be so late in the hospital?"_

"Stupid question, Nolan. He was probably in Emily's room. But didn't you say that she won't see him again?"

 _"Maybe she changed her mind? It doesn't matter now. Concentrate. I have the surveillance cameras on a permanent repeat. No one will notice that you are sneaking around."_

"What about the alarm system?"

 _"Switched off. We don't want anyone to call the police if my brilliant plan should fail."_

"And the van?"

 _"In the underground parking area and waiting."_

"Your plan is really cleverly designed, Nolan. You covered all the bases."

 _"Well, I just wrote in her medical file that she was being transferred to another hospital. It was easy. The van takes you to the helicopter. From there you fly to Japan."_

"I'm surprised that no one asked. I mean, what justifies a transport there?"

 _"The people who work for the transport company are not interested in logic, they simply carry out orders. They are paid for."_

"Good for us. Well, I have to hang up now. I am standing in front of her room now."

 _"Good luck!"_

"Thanks!"

Aiden finished the conversation and put the phone back into his jacket pocket. He looked around the hall, if no one had overheard the conversation, and then pulled out a bottle and a rag from his shoulder bag. Slowly he let the transparent liquid seep into the cloth until it was sufficiently soaked. He listened for a moment, then opened the door. Reluctantly he stepped closer and found Emily sleeping. He quickly took the wheelchair, who had stood in the corridor, and closed the door again. _Everything runs as planned_ , he thought, as he approached her and then put the soaked cloth over her mouth and nose. He noticed a slight resistance, when she suddenly awoke and couldn't breathe. But it didn't take long for her body to pass out under the influence of the anesthetic.

He quickly wrapped her unconscious body in a blanket and lifted her into the wheelchair. He had to hurry. Someone would notice soon that she disappeared. His hand pressed against her shoulder to stabilize, he quickly rolled down the corridor to the next elevator. From there it went to the underground car park, where the van was already waiting for him. He exchanged a few words with the driver, lifted Emily out of the wheelchair and carefully placed her on the stretcher, which was in the luggage compartment of the van. Only now did he allow himself to breathe. Everything had gone perfectly according to plan. No one had seen or tried to stop them. He gently stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry," He murmured. "That was necessary." He gave the driver a sign that he should leave. And as he drove with the unconscious Emily to the helicopter landing spot, he said a quick prayer that at least this plan might work.


	37. Rebun Island

**Rebun Island, Japan**

 **The next morning**

When Emily opened her eyes, she didn't take long to realize that she was in Satoshi Takeda's training camp. She had stayed here long enough and knew the area inside out. But the question was, how did she get here? The last thing she could remember was that she had fallen asleep in the hospital bed. Or was she still dreaming? She heard a noise, and turned her head. It was a young woman with long, brown hair who entered the room.

"Hey, you're awake," she said delightedly. "I'm Ava Winters. Do you remember me?"

Emily nodded. Of course she recognized her. She was also one of Takeda's students who had gone to Rebun Island for the path of retribution. Even though she had never exercised with her, they had been talking a couple of times. "Ava, yes, of course." She frowned. "How did I get here?"

"You came with Aiden," Ava said. "Don't you remember?"

"No." She wiped her eyes. "I've fallen asleep, and then I can't remember anything." Suddenly she opened her eyes wide as she remembered Ava's first part of the sentence. "Did you say Aiden like ... Aiden Mathis?"

Ava nodded. "He brought you here and said you wanted to continue your training after your injury had healed."

"Injury?" Emily groped for her bandage, which had been placed there after her surgery. "I'm not hurt. I had a c-section," she told the young woman.

"You have a baby?" Ava looked at her incredulously, then shook her head. "I don't understand any of this. Why was I told that you were back to continue your training? I mean, apparently you don't know how you came here." She thought for a moment, then frowned. "Is it Aiden's baby?"

Emily shook her head. "No, it's from the man I primary wanted to take revenge." She saw Ava raising the eyebrows in surprise and continued. "I know what you must think about that, but sometimes you have to question your motives if vengeance is really the only way."

"It is for me." Ava raised her head defiantly. "You know what they did to me. I'll reclaim what's mine!"

Emily looked at her thoughtfully. Ava reminded her of herself. When she first came to the island to learn from Takeda the lesson of taking revenge. But a lot of time had passed since then. She was a different person now. "Where is Aiden?" Emily asked hesitantly. She still couldn't believe that he had actually brought her here against her will.

Ava shrugged. "I don't know. Takeda just asked me to take care of you."

Emily sat up slowly. "I must go back to the States!" She said urgently. "Can you help me?"

"I don't know," Ava said hesitantly. "There is certainly a reason why you are here."

Emily took her arm. "You don't understand!" she said desperately. "Aiden apparently still thinks I am the same Emily, as before my loss of memory. But I'm not." She shook her head. "The path of retribution is no longer mine! And I can't live with Aiden as I did before."

"Because you love your child's father?" Ava concluded.

Emily nodded. "God knows I've tried to hate him, but I just can't," she admitted resignedly.

"Have you forgiven him?"

Emily thought for a moment. Had she forgiven Daniel? After all he had shot at her. But after talking to him, after he had held a mirror up of her actions, she had realized that it had been her fault that he had become a perpetrator. She nodded. "Many innocent people had to suffer because I wanted to take revenge senselessly. My father is dead, but taking revenge won't bring him back. And Daniel never had anything to do with it. He was just my entrance into his family. I wanted to approach and destroy them. I didn't realize back then that I would destroy him, too." She grabbed the young woman's hand. "Please, Ava, you're my last hope! I can't stay here. My little son needs me and ... Daniel too."

"You should talk with Aiden about it," Ava said hesitantly.

"He brought me here against my will." She shook her head. "He won't listen to me."

"And you're also sure you want to go back to Daniel?" Ava asked.

"One hundred percent sure, yes." She nodded eagerly. "My life as Emily Thorne is over. I'm Emily Grayson now."

"All right ..." Ava rose with a sigh. "I'll get something to write and then you can write down the phone number. I'll call him and tell him your whereabouts."

 **Somewhere on Long Island**

Daniel had spent the night in the car after driving around in the area for hours, and had even taken a lantern post during a dodge maneuver. He had committed a hit and run because he had suddenly realized that he would probably be given a punishment after driving drunk again. So he had parked the car somewhere and had fallen asleep on the steering wheel. When his cell phone hummed in his pocket, he jerked. Still half-asleep, he reached for it and answered the call. "Yes?" He mumbled indistinctly.

 _"Daniel? Thank God! It's me, Charlotte. Mom and Dad have already called you dozens of times. Where are you?"_

"Charlotte?" He rubbed his aching neck and looked around. "No idea," he said.

 _"What do you mean 'no idea'? You should know where you are!"_

"In the car." He ruffled his hair and looked at the clock. "I was too tired to drive home yesterday."

 _"Are you fit to drive now?"_

He heard the reproach in her voice and suspected she knew about his condition. "Yes, I'm fit enough."

 _"Then go straight to the hospital!"_

He felt instantly how his heart beat faster with fear. "Has something happened to Julian?" Was the first thing that came to mind.

 _"The baby is doing well. It's about Emily ..."_

"What about her?" His free hand had clenched around the wheel. "Tell me, Charlotte!"

 _"She's missing."_

It was not what he had expected to hear, and yet it made sense in a strange way that she had disappeared. Hadn't that been her plan, simply to disappear, to leave him? If that had been her plan, she had won. "Well?" He shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

 _"Daniel, aren't you listening to me? She is missing! Nobody knows where she is."_

"What am I supposed to do?" He knew how heartless this statement sounded, but after talking to Emily and knowing that she hated him, he was no longer surprised.

 _"Come to the hospital and talk to the police!"_

"You got the police involved?" He said incredulously.

 _"Did I forget to mention that they found anesthetic remnants on her pillow? Dammit, Daniel ... just get here! Emily didn't just walk away, she was abducted! Do you think she would have left her son behind if she had just left the country?"_

Daniel noticed that his hands trembled slightly as he turned the key. He was still not fit enough to drive, and probably they would ask him to pay for the damage he had caused, but that didn't matter at that moment. He just wanted to go to the hospital as soon as possible. He opened the glove compartment, took the flask out, and threw it through the open window before stepping on the gas pedal and driving back to the hospital.


	38. Arrest

**Southampton Police Department**

"Once again, Mr. Grayson ... When did you see your wife the last time?"

Tired, Daniel rubbed his eyes. He had been interrogated for an eternity as if he had been personally involved in Emily's abduction. "I've already said it," he repeated, annoyed. "I visited her the evening before."

"Even though you had no permission from the patient or the doctors?"

"Yes, although she didn't want to see me," he confirmed.

"And can you tell me exactly why your wife didn't want to see you? We even learned from the nurse that you were forbidden to see your son."

He was tired of repeating the same answers again and again. He knew what they thought. But he had no idea what had happened to her, let alone what had been the reason for her abduction. "We had a fight," he confessed. "A quarrel as it happens among married couples."

"A normal quarrel, and then she forbids to see your own son?" The police officer shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense." He leaned forward and looked Daniel in the eyes. "Wasn't it rather the case that she was afraid that you would hurt her or the baby?"

"Why should I do that?" He felt gradually losing his patience. "I love my wife and my son. I would never harm them!"

The police officer stared at him. "Well, could it be because of your alcohol addiction, Mr. Grayson?"

Daniel felt his mouth getting dry. Of course, they had investigated and found that he had already been arrested for several offenses involving alcohol. His father had always bailed him out and even bribed the judge once, but the fact remained that he hadn't been accountable during these acts.

"In addition, you were arrested at the time and had to sit on Rikers Island because you had wounded your fellow college friend, Tyler Barrol," the officer added.

Daniel closed his eyes. All this had nothing to do with Emily's disappearance. But since he had been sentenced before they thought he also was able to kidnap his own wife. "I didn't kill him!" He defended himself.

"Then you still would be in jail," the police officer said chilly.

"At my son's life, I swear that I have nothing to do with the abduction!" He ran nervously through his hair. "Yes, I visited her in the evening," he admitted. "And yes, we had an argument again. After that I got into my car and drove through the area to clear my head. I wasn't even near the hospital when she was abducted."

"Can you prove that?" The police officer looked at him, frowning.

Again Daniel shook his head. "I drove around the whole time. No one saw me."

The police officer got up. "Well, then it looks very bad for you, Mr. Grayson. The tracking revealed that your DNA was spread all over the place, including the bed and the pillow. According to the police report, you had been the last visitor before your wife's gone missing."

"I don't deny that I was there!" He could feel himself losing control. "But there must have been someone there afterwards, because I didn't abduct her!"

The police officer shook his head. "No more traces were found, only yours. So …" He pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "... you are arrested for the time being. There is a strong suspicion that you kidnapped your wife, Emily Grayson, nee Thorne, and carried her off to an unknown location. Until the hearing, you stay with us. You can make one call, not more. Did you understand that?"

Daniel nodded as if stunned. When the handcuffs locked in place around his wrists, he was suddenly reminded of the day of his engagement with Emily when Tyler had been found lifeless on the beach. At that time he had also been wrongly accused of murder. And now he was to be punished again for a crime that he hadn't committed. "One call?" He repeated tiredly.

The police officer nodded and looked at the items he'd taken away: a mobile phone and a wallet. "Those things remain in our safekeeping, as long as a verdict is delivered. And now come with me …" He grabbed him by his arm. "I'll take you to a phone."

 **Rebun Island, Japan**

Ava put her cell phone back in her pants pocket and looked at Emily sympathetically. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I've tried it several times. Nobody's answering."

"But they must have noticed my disappearance," she said desperately. "I have to make contact somehow."

"Do you have anyone else whom I can call?"

"No. I had all stored in my mobile phone. I don't know the numbers by heart. And the Graysons have private numbers. They only give them out personally." Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. "The hospital ..." she said. "We can call the hospital."

Ava nodded. "Do you have the number?"

"No, but you can find that on the internet." She sat up again. "It's the Suffolk Memorial Hospital in New York."

"I will see to it immediately." Ava smiled at her once again, then went outside to find the telephone number of the hospital. But she didn't come far when someone got in her way. Startled, she looked up. "Aiden ..." she said, surprised, when she saw who it was.

He eyed her skeptically and frowned. "What are you doing?" He demanded.

They had become friends, in the time he had spent on Rebun Island, so she dared to ask him the question that weighs on her mind. "Is it true that you brought Emily here against her will?" She saw his expression darken and knew the young mother had said the truth.

"It's not your business, okay?" He blurted out.

"No, it's not okay!" She put her hands on her hips and looked at him defiantly. "Emily made it my business. She wants to go back, Aiden. You can't hold her against her will!"

"She doesn't know what she wants."

"Oh, she knows very well." Ava pushed a strand of hair off her forehead. "Don't think I don't know how much you still love her. The only thing is that her feelings for you have changed."

"Did she tell you that?"

Ava nodded. "And that's exactly why you have to let her go," she said urgently.

Aiden laughed sarcastically. "So she can go back to the Graysons? Never," he said resolutely. "Emily belongs to me!"

"She has a baby and she wants to go back to her husband!" She touched him gently on his arm. "Be reasonable, Aiden. You can't force emotions. Besides, you don't want that they accuse you of abduction!"

He took his cell phone and punched something in. "Here, read this! This message went straight to the press." He pointed to the article so that she could read the headline.

"He is under arrest?!", she said in disbelief after reading the article. She raised her head and looked at him in shock. "He didn't abduct her, Aiden! You have to correct this! You can't let an innocent go into jail for a crime he didn't do!"

"Daniel Grayson is anything but innocent," he said contemptuously. "Haven't Emily told you what he did?"

She shook her head slowly.

"Well, it doesn't matter," he said harshly. "Anyway, I'm glad they locked him up. And hopefully, he will die in prison. This saves me the trouble of killing him myself!"

Shocked, she stared after him as he turned and walked away. She knew how much he hated the Graysons. In all the time he was here, he hadn't spoken of anything else. But she was astonished that he would even consider a murder. She had to do something, even at the risk of getting into something that was not her business. She flipped open her cell phone and began to dial.


	39. Forgiveness

**Nolan's Mansion, Hamptons**

Nolan was surprised when he received a call from an unknown number. "Yes, please?"

 _"Nolan Ross?"_

He nodded. "Yes, that's me, and who are you?" He asked the female caller.

 _"You probably don't know me. My name is Ava Winters. I'm calling from Rebun Island."_

Rebun Island. At the reference of the place, Nolan perked up his ears. Has something happened with Emily? "I'm listening."

 _"Aiden Mathis gave me your telephone number some time ago. He said it's in case of emergency."_

"Did something happen to him?" Nolan asked concerned.

 _"That's how you could put it, but no, it's about Emily Grayson."_

Nolan held his breath for a moment. What did the girl know about Emily? "What about her?" He asked cautiously.

 _"She's here on Rebun Island. I think Aiden kidnapped her. She told me she was in the hospital before. Do you know anything about it?"_

"Emily is my friend as well as Aiden is my friend," Nolan answered cryptically.

 _"So that's supposed to mean yes?"_

He raised the eyebrows in amazement. The girl was smart and could put together puzzle pieces well. "Yes," he admitted. "And before you ask any further questions ... I helped him to get her out of the hospital and bring her to Japan."

 _"But she doesn't want to be here! She wants to go back to her baby and her husband."_

Nolan closed his eyes for a moment and sighed softly. That was exactly what he had feared. So Emily's talk that she still had feelings for Daniel was true and she only felt gratitude to Aiden. "We both thought it was best for her."

 _"Men and her thoughts ... She let me know about it because she hoped I could help her. I've already tried to talk with Aiden. He insists that she belongs to him. But she doesn't want to stay. She tried to get in touch with her husband, but since he's in jail now ... "_

"Wait a minute,... jail?!" Nolan interrupted, frowning.

 _"Daniel Grayson was arrested. Don't you see any news?"_

"Just a second ..." He went to his TV and switched on the news. It only took a moment to convince himself of the truth. A reporter just announced that the son of the famous industrialist Conrad Grayson had been arrested for abduction and alleged murder of his wife. "Oh no ..." he muttered shocked.

 _"Can you see it?"_

Nolan nodded, his gaze still fixed on the screen. "Yes, I can see it." He ran a hand through his hair. "Dammit!" He groaned. "That certainly wasn't my plan to pin the abduction on Daniel."

 _"Can you do anything to help him?"_

"I don't know. I was involved in the abduction and wouldn't want to attract too much attention to the police, if you understand what I mean?"

 _"Sure, I understand. But you can't send an innocent to jail for a crime he didn't commit."_

"No, of course not." Sighing, he rubbed his eyes. "Does Emily know about it?"

 _"No. And I hope she won't. She's already worried enough. I can't believe you and Aiden had planned to kidnap her and separate her from her baby! What were you thinking?"_

Nolan had to admit that Ava Winters was not quite wrong. He suddenly didn't know why he had agreed on Aiden's plan at all. He had to set it right, without getting into the firing line. "I'll take care of it, okay?" He promised.

 _"What exactly are you planning to do?"_

"I'll try to convince the police that Daniel is innocent." He shrugged. "I just give him an alibi. That can't be that hard."

 _"Good. And I'm taking care of Aiden."_

"Be careful! He can be a bit ... rude sometimes when it comes to defending his possessions," Nolan said in a warning tone.

 _"I'm also one of Takeda's students. And I'm good. So don't worry. Face to face,... you know."_

"I have your number now. As soon as I could achieve something, I'll let you know, okay?"

 _"Yes, okay. And Nolan ..."_

"What?"

 _"Thank you!"_

"I'm doing this for Emily," he said softly. "I promised her father that time. And I think he would be proud of her if he could see her now."

 _"How so?"_

"Because he never wanted her to follow the path of retribution. Even when he still lived, he had experienced that it brought nothing but ruin. And he always wanted to protect her from it. He wanted her to learn to forgive. And I think she has found the right way now."

 _"Wise words..."_

"I don't know your reasons why you were looking for Takeda's help, but maybe you should consider your plans. Revenge has a tendency to spread like cancer. And at some point you have nothing under control."

 _"I'm thinking about it. But now I have to hang up. Take care, Nolan!"_

Deep in thoughts, he hung up. He hoped it was the right decision. He would go to the Police Department and would provide an alibi for Daniel. Quickly, he reached for his car key and left the house.


	40. Confession

**Southampton Police Department, NY**

"My God, you look awful!" Victoria gasped, patting her son's cheek slightly. They had brought Daniel to the interrogation room of the Police Department, so they could talk privately.

"Mom, please ...!" He made a defensive movement.

"Are they treating you well?" She inquired worriedly.

"I've only been here for two hours." He rolled his eyes, annoyed. "I looked the same before I came here. As you know from Charlotte, I slept in my car."

Victoria nodded and reached for his hand. "I know you were drinking again." She gave him a look of commiseration. "That's all Emily's fault!"

"No, it's not!" He pulled his hand away. "I'm responsible for what happened. Like everything else," he added quickly. "I probably would have reacted the same way if I had been in her place."

"You're still defending her?" She shook her head incredulously.

He leaned forward. "To get this straight, Emily is the victim here, not me!" He hissed.

She shrank back. "My God, your father was right. You still love her!" she gasped. When he didn't react, she sighed stagy. "Of course, there is the baby. I know how binding such an obligation can be."

"This has nothing to do with Julian." Daniel leaned back and crossed his arms. "But I can reassure you, Emily is through with me. She hates me."

"Heaven blessed!" She sighed, relieved. "Then it is clear what she intended. She probably staged her own abduction and wanted to pin it on you."

"Maybe."

"And that leaves you completely cold?" She looked at him in disbelief.

He shrugged. "I didn't commit this crime, but another. I think I deserve it." He leaned over the table and looked deeply into her eyes. "I wish I had turned myself in at the time. That would have saved me a lot of stress and lots of sleepless nights."

"You're not serious, are you?" she asked shocked.

He rose abruptly. "Was that it? I think I want to go back to my cell."

"Daniel!" Victoria grasped his arm before he could leave. "I won't allow that you'll be condemned for a crime that you haven't committed! I told your father to pay the bail."

"Save the money." He tore himself away from her, knocked at the door, and asked to take him back to his cell.

Victoria gazed after him with a wild stare, when the officer applied the cuffs and led him away.

 **Rebun Island, Japan**

When Ava entered Emily's room, she immediately recognized that something was wrong. The young mother sat in her bed, agitated and with tears in her eyes. "What happened?" She asked alarmed.

"Aiden was here," Emily confessed. "He showed me the news article." She raised her tear-filled eyes to Ava. "Is it true? Did they arrest him? The article said that they not only blame him for my abduction, but even worse, for killing me!" She reached for Ava's hand. "If this is true, then he will be imprisoned for life! We can't allow that!"

Ava squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. I've taken care of it." She looked at Emily's puzzled and continued immediately with her explanation. "I called Nolan Ross. He will see to it to set Daniel free."

"Where did you get Nolan's phone number?" Emily asked surprised.

Ava shrugged. "Aiden gave it to me just after he had appeared here again," she said.

"How will Nolan manage it to set Daniel free?" Emily asked curiously.

"He wants to give him an alibi." Ava looked at her with a serious face. "He told me he had been involved in your kidnapping. But now he feels remorse and wants to make amends."

Emily had been quietly listening to her, and now looked at her incredulously. "Nolan had been involved in my abduction?" She said, bewildered.

Ava nodded. "He probably thought he did you a favor. He couldn't have known that your feelings for Aiden have changed."

Emily looked at her thoughtfully. "When he was here earlier, he talked about the past and what our original plans had been. He simply doesn't want to accept that I no longer have feelings of revenge. And he understands even less why I want to go back." She sighed and put a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't know what happened. But during the time of my amnesia, I could discover a whole new aspect of Daniel. I love the man he is now, not the man he was before."

Ava smiled. "This is so romantic." She became serious again. "Aiden made hints about him...", she began reluctantly. "What did Daniel do to you?"

Emily took a deep breath before she answered. "He shot me," she said softly. "But before you get the wrong idea, I'd like to tell you that I'm glad he did it."

"You're really crazy." Ava shook her head incredulously. "He wanted to kill you and you're still in love with him?!"

"If my original plan had worked, I would be with Aiden on the Maldives," Emily began to explain. "Although I was already pregnant, I probably would never have returned to Daniel. Perhaps he wouldn't have known that he had a son. And I wouldn't have fallen in love with him again." She looked at Ava urgently. "Don't you understand? Sometimes fate takes strange paths. But I really believe that it was bound to happen."

"Nolan was right," Ava said thoughtfully. "You have indeed left the path of retribution."

"If Nolan should set Daniel free, I'd like to be there for him, when he's released," Emily said resolutely. "Can you bring me back to land?"

"I don't know." Ava frowned. "I would have to go past Aiden. And that won't be easy. I don't think he'll let you go without a fight."

"We have to try." Emily looked at her imploringly. "But I can't do it alone. I need your help."

Ava nodded hesitantly. "You let myself get involved. It's my obligation to help you."

"Thank you!" Emily reached for her hand and squeezed it.

Ava rose. "I need a little time to think about it. Is that okay for you?"

Emily nodded. "I'll wait."

Ava left the room to make preparations for Emily's rescue.


	41. Risky Plan

**Southampton Police Departement, NY**

"Daniel Grayson! You are free to go!"

Daniel was confused when a police officer stepped into his cell, took off his handcuffs, and led him outside. For a moment, he wondered how his father had managed to get him out of jail even before the hearing. But when he walked out, it was not his father who met him, but Nolan Ross.

"Surprise!"

"Nolan? What are you doing here?" Daniel asked, confused.

"Well, what does it look like? I gave you an alibi. You're free."

"Alibi?" Daniel repeated. "I don't understand. How did you even know I was here?"

"Thanks to the press, everyone knows it now. If you haven't noticed, you're the talk of the town."

"Great!" Daniel rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Just that kind of publicity I was looking for!" He looked at Nolan, frowning. "I still don't understand why you helped me. What did you say to the officers?"

Nolan took a deep breath. "Well, I told them you'd spent the night on my couch because you'd been too drunk to drive home."

"And they bought that after I had told them I slept in my car?" Daniel wondered.

Nolan shrugged. "I must have been more convincing than you." They had reached Nolan's car, and he made a welcoming gesture. "Jump in! I'll tell you everything when we're at my place."

Hesitantly, Daniel took a seat. And while he was still thinking about why Nolan had saved him from jail, they arrived at the mansion.

"First of all, you should take a long shower and shave," Nolan suggested. "You'll find everything in the bathroom."

When Daniel returned to the living room half an hour later, Nolan had provided canapes and drinks for them. He hesitantly took a canape and began to chew slowly.

"It's not poisoned," Nolan said, smirking. "I can imagine you're wondering what this is all about. And I'll explain it to you. But promise me one thing... What I'm telling you now is just between the two of us. No police! Got it?"

Daniel nodded mechanically and put the canape aside. "Go on."

Nolan took a deep breath. "I don't know where to begin, so I start with the most important ..." He stopped in the middle of the sentence and then started again. "Emily is doing well. She's on Rebun Island," he confessed. "Stay seated! I'm not done yet," he said quickly, when he saw Daniel trying to jump up. "Aiden Mathis kidnapped her, and I helped him."

"Aiden?" Daniel asked disbelieving. "But..."

"Don't interrupt me!" He cleared his throat. "On your wedding day, Emily wanted to stage her own death and elope with Aiden. But something or better ... someone came in between."

Daniel felt himself getting nervous. Was this now the moment to be honest, because Nolan told him the truth, too. He decided spontaneously. "It was me," he confessed then. "I shot Emily!"

For a moment, Nolan just looked at him before he nodded slowly. "Yes, I know. Emily told me."

"But ... then I don't understand why you got me out of jail." Daniel looked at him confused. "That doesn't make any sense at all."

"Because you didn't kidnap her," Nolan said simply. "If Emily can forgive you, then I can too."

"Has she?" Daniel frowned doubtfully.

Nolan nodded. "That is why you learn the whole truth." He took a deep breath. "Where was I? Oh, yes ... Aiden ... Well, he found her and took her to the Maldives, where he had rented a beach house. They wanted to live together there as husband and wife."

"So it was really a lie," Daniel murmured, looking at Nolan. "Our relationship, the wedding, the fake pregnancy, just everything ..."

Nolan nodded again. "Only she didn't know at that time that she was indeed pregnant. And then the amnesia ... That changed everything."

"I've felt all the time that she wasn't honest with me," Daniel said hesitantly. "That's why I wanted to end our relationship back then." He raised his head and looked at Nolan, frowning. "And now she's back with Aiden, as they originally had planned?"

"No." Nolan shook his head. "He brought her to Rebun Island against her will. He knows she hasn't any feelings for him and still wants to keep her there."

"I don't understand ..." Daniel murmured confused.

"She loves _you_ , not him!" Nolan clarified. "After she had regained her memory, she realized that. She didn't like it at first, wanted to fight against her feelings, but in the end she chose you." He suddenly grinned. "Do you think I'd get you an alibi, if she wasn't in love with you? Emily is much more to me than just a good friend. She is family. And after I had already been responsible for the abduction, I had to make amends." He leaned back. "Well, now you know everything. Any questions?"

Daniel sank against the chair. "A million," he admitted. "But I think the main thing is to rescue Emily."

Nolan nodded. "The only problem is that there are only trained combatants on this island, with whom I can barely measure myself." He cleared his throat. "And we cannot ask the police for help." He rolled his eyes. "I really do everything for Emily, but I'm not going to jail for her. Not again anyhow ..." He sighed.

Daniel jumped up. "Do you have a gun?"

"You want to fight against Aiden?" He raised his eyebrows. "Don't! He kills you before you even put a foot on the island!"

"He's gotten a bullet from me before," Daniel said casually. "Who says it won't work again the second time?"

Nolan shook his head. "Without a reasonable plan, we can do nothing."

"I could ask my father for help," Daniel suggested. "He knows powerful people."

"I don't think that will help us." Nolan sighed. "There's a girl on the island that would help us, Ava Winters. Maybe she has a plan. She's on Emily's side, and she also knows Aiden. That could be an advantage."

"Then get in touch with her and ask her if she already has a plan," Daniel urged impatiently.

"I'm calling her immediately. But at first, I'll be in the bathroom. Make yourself at home meanwhile!"

Daniel waited until Nolan had disappeared into the bathroom, then took the car key and quickly left the house. Despite all plans, he couldn't wait that long. He had to do something instantly. When he got into Nolan's car, he had only one thing in mind: Rebun Island!


	42. Departure

**Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

Nolan hopped out his car and looked to the entrance of the imposing building. He was glad that he had more than one car available, so that he could remain mobile. It didn't change the fact though that Daniel had stolen his car and was probably already on his way to Japan. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. He had really underestimated that boy. He hadn't thought of him being so reckless and suicidal. But he guessed that Daniel had just reacted spontaneously without thinking. What a fool he had been to keep the keys on the table! He should have known that his confession would trigger something. As he walked slowly towards the entrance of Grayson Manor, he hoped that Daniel might have gone home to pack some things. But it was Charlotte, who opened the door.

"Nolan?" She exclaimed, surprised.

"Tell me Daniel is at home," he came straight to the point.

"Daniel?" She looked at him confused, as she opened the door further to allow him to enter. "Don't you know? He was arrested," she told him. "He's in jail!"

"Not anymore," Nolan clarified. "I bailed him out by giving him an alibi."

"What?" Charlotte thought she had misheard. "But if he's free, where is he now?"

"Good question." Nolan tapped his forehead thoughtfully. "He stole my car. So he can practically be anywhere."

Charlotte looked at him shocked. "Why did he steal your car? What's he doing with it?"

"Can we talk in private?" Nolan said softly. "I don't want to discuss this in the hallway."

"Sure." She nodded. "Let's go to my room." She went upstairs, waiting for Nolan to follow her. "Now tell me what's going on!" She asked him as she had closed the door to her room.

Nolan took a deep breath. For a moment, he wondered whether he should tell Charlotte the whole truth, but he chose only for the half-truth. "Daniel knows where Emily is," he began reluctantly.

"She lives?" Charlotte asked excitedly.

Nolan nodded. "She's fine. But with the ... abductors is not to be trifled with. And I'm afraid your brother intends to step into the lion's den to get Emily out there, alone."

"Where is she?"

"On a Japanese island," Nolan said quickly. "The abductors have contacted me to pay the ransom," he says, making up a credible story. "And I agreed to give them the money." He noticed Charlotte's puzzled look.

"Why do they blackmail you for ransom and not Daniel or my parents? I mean, Emily is a Grayson and not a Ross."

Nolan shrugged. "Perhaps they thought that I'm wealthier than the Graysons ," he clarified.

"That's odd." Charlotte frowned. "And Daniel has learned about this and has now flown to give the ransom himself?" She tried to spin the story further.

"Something like that." Nolan sighed softly. "But that wasn't planned. He can't just go there alone. They'll kill him before he sees Emily at all!"

"Oh no ...!" Charlotte looked at him horrified. "And why didn't you stop him?"

"Because he tricked me." Nolan rolled his eyes at the thought of how Daniel had used his bathroom visit for stealing his car.

Charlotte reached for her cell phone. "We need to inform the police!" she said.

"No, no police!" Nolan grabbed her hand before she could even type a number. "The abductors have threatened to kill Emily immediately if the police gets involved."

"And what now?" Charlotte looked at him despairingly. "We can't wait until something bad happened to Daniel!"

"I'm going after him." His decision was suddenly firm. If one had an influence on Aiden, then it was him. "I shouldn't have told him about it."

Charlotte shook her head deep in thoughts. "That's why they kidnapped her," she muttered. "To get money. And my mother thought Emily had staged her abduction herself." She looked up, her eyes clear again. "I'm going to come with you," she said resolutely.

"No way!" Nolan shook his head firmly. "This is far too dangerous."

"Daniel is my brother and Emily is like a sister to me. You can't stop me!" She raised her chin defiantly. "You once said I should step out of the shadow of my parents and show more self-confidence. I'm ready to do this now."

Nolan rolled his eyes. _Not just like a sister,_ he thought. "Fine," he replied. "Pack some things and write a message to your parents that they shouldn't worry."

"What should I write where I am?" Charlotte asked, frowning.

He shrugged. "Just write that you're visiting a friend. It won't take long for them to find out that you lied and that Daniel is out of jail. All hints will point to me." He sighed deeply. "But I accept that. We just need a head-start before your parents call in the police."

Charlotte nodded. "I'll hurry with packing!"

He looked after her with mixed feelings as she took the steps upstairs, taking two steps at once. He wondered if it was such a good idea to take her with him. But he hadn't known how to tell her not to go. Charlotte was as stubborn as her brother. And perhaps it was good to put another female influence on Aiden. He knew Charlotte from before. And he couldn't imagine that Aiden was capable of harming her. She was one of those Graysons you simply like. And she was Emily's half-sister. Maybe this was exactly the trump card he needed to save Emily. He looked up as Charlotte came down again.

"I'm ready."

He nodded. "Let's go! The plane to Japan is waiting for us."


	43. Determination

**Rebun Island, Japan**

Thoughtfully, Ava let her mobile phone slide back into her pants pocket after she had finished the conversation. It had been Nolan Ross who had told her about the latest events. And so her plan had become void to rescue Emily alone. If they all came to the island, it would inevitably come to a fight. Nolan had asked her to look after Daniel, who would probably arrive before them on the island. And since she had researched him quickly on the Internet, she also knew about his look. Since there were not so many tourists on the island anyway, it wouldn't be difficult to find him. She had to track him down before he got to know the way to the training camp. She had to prepare him. And she had to tell Emily of what she knew. And of course Aiden couldn't know about all this. No easy task. _But one by one,_ she thought, as she pushed the door open to Emily's room and entered.

"Hey!" She greeted and walked towards Emily's bed. "How are you?"

"Good." Emily sat up. "I was walking around a little while before. I think the cut is well healed."

"Was Aiden here?" She asked cautiously.

Emily nodded. "He always comes by and looks after me. He has replaced the bandage earlier." She sighed and put a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm really grateful to him for taking care of me. But when I tried to change the subject and asked him to bring me back to land he went downright aggressive!"

Ava nodded. "Yeah, I noticed that myself." She frowned. "How did he imagine should it have gone on with you and him? Did he ever say something about the baby?"

"He wanted to bring Julian to the island when he was strong enough. He was a preemie. So it probably would have taken time, but …" She looked at Ava pleadingly. "My son needs me more than ever. I'm his mother! Aiden can't understand that."

"I've been talking to Nolan," Ava began hesitantly. "As promised, he got Daniel out of jail."

"He's free?" Emily exclaimed happily. "I can't thank Nolan enough!"

"Wait!" Ava raised her hand. "That's not all. Nolan told me he'd told Daniel everything. And now he's on his way to Rebun Island to save you."

"Alone?" Emily looked at her horrified. "He can't compete with Aiden!"

"That's exactly why Nolan decided to come to the island as well," Ava explained. "And he's taking your sister with him. Charlotte, isn't it?"

Emily looked at her wide-eyed. "Charlotte is coming with him? But why would she put herself in danger?"

"There are a lot of people who care about you," Ava said smiling and reached for her hand. "Listen, you can't tell Aiden anything about it!" she said urgently. "One wrong word and your friends are in mortal danger! I'm going to the landing stage and wait for Daniel. This is not far from here, as you know. He can only take the ferry over here. Therefore, it won't be too difficult to find him."

"Are you bringing him to the training camp?" Emily asked.

Ava nodded. "I'll try. But I can't promise anything. We have to pass past Aiden somehow. Maybe I can distract him, or ask him to run a few errands for me."

Emily pushed the blanket back. "I'm coming with you!" she said firmly.

Ava shook her head. "You're still much too weak."

"Please ...!" Emily begged. "It's not that far from here. I can do it. And I want to be there when he arrives."

Ava nodded. "Okay then, you go and I distract Aiden."

Emily got up and quickly dressed. "I can do it," she said proudly, walking a few steps back and forth. "It doesn't hurt any more."

"Then go now!"

Emily squeezed her hand briefly. "Bye then. And thank you again for everything!"

Ava also left the room and started looking for Aiden.

 **Grayson Manor, Hamptons**

"What did the police tell you?" Victoria asked her husband after he had finished his phone call.

"Nolan Ross gave Daniel an alibi," he replied. He looked at his wife, frowning. "Do you understand that? What does Nolan have to do with anything?"

"I know just as little as you do." She shrugged helplessly. "But I found this ..." She gave him a post-it-note, "... in Charlotte's room."

Conrad took the note and read the lines that his daughter had left behind. _'Mom, Dad, don't worry. I'm with a friend for a couple of days.'_ He dropped the note. "What friend?" He looked questioningly at his wife.

"Can't you remember?" Victoria crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Daniel gave us almost the same message when he flew to the Maldives with the business jet." She shook her head. "Something's wrong here. I have already spoken on her TAM. She didn't call me back. Just like Daniel back then. And Patrick told me that Nolan left for a few days as well."

Conrad rubbed his neck thoughtfully. "Strange coincidences indeed," he murmured, then looked at his wife. "Where is Daniel?"

She shrugged. "I have no idea. I haven't seen him since I visited him at the police department. And he made it very clear that he didn't want our help."

"I think I have an idea where he is," Conrad said. "Wait here! I'll be right back."

Victoria waited impatiently for him to come out of his study, and then ran towards him. "And?" She asked excitedly. "Could you figure out where he is?"

He nodded. "My guess was right. He took the business jet again."

"Do you know where he was flying?"

Conrad nodded. "It's the responsibility of each pilot to make a flight plan. His aim is Japan, Rebun Airport."

Victoria frowned. "What does he want in Japan?"

Conrad scratched his head thoughtfully. "It's just a rough guess, but I could imagine Emily has something to do with it."

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "What else? His whole universe is revolving around this woman at the moment!"

"One might think you were jealous of her," he said, smiling.

She gave him an annoyed look. "Stop making fun of me and do something useful! Call the police and inform them about what you have found out! After all, the abduction is still a police case. And if Emily was really abducted, what still has to be proved, they should take care of it."

Conrad nodded. "And maybe we'll find our daughter, too," he said thoughtfully.

Victoria looked at him in surprise. "You don't believe Charlotte has also flown to Japan?"

"Why not?" Conrad shrugged. "She and Emily are very close. If she has learned from Daniel where she is, she may have decided to fly to her."

"Let's go!" She pushed him back in his study. "What are you waiting for? Call the police!" She quickly ran upstairs to her room and began to pack a few things in a small travel bag. This time she wouldn't leave nothing to chance. She would also fly to Japan and get an idea of all things. She took her travel bag and ran downstairs to tell Conrad of her plan.


	44. Devotion

**Rebun Island, Japan**

Rebun Island was beautiful, Daniel noticed surprised, while he ferried from the mainland to the small island. Nestled between large, gray rocks, lay the green fauna, covered with a fine snow. And somewhere between the rocks was the wide sea. A wild, original nature that could inspire a painter. He had to smile all of a sudden when he remembered it was Emily's way of describing things that she liked and wanted to keep in her memory. He wondered how their first meeting would be after their last talk full of accuses. Could he trust Nolan's words that Emily had really forgiven him? Was there actually a future for them? He wanted nothing more than to create a home for her and Julian. As he looked, lost in thoughts, over to the island, he suddenly remembered one day, three years ago, when she had given him a collection of poems ...

 _"On the night of our first date, you recited an Oliver Wendell Holmes poem to me. Do you remember? 'Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.' Ever since that night I've been collecting poems that remind me of you. We haven't known each other for a long time, but you already feel like home to me."_

Could it be that she had said the truth? He had been so engrossed in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed that the ferry had landed. He thanked the ferryman with a nod and then stepped on the island. He had no idea where to go from here. He hadn't learned of Emily's actual location from Nolan. That was why he took the map out and studied the area. Distracted, he looked up as someone was calling his name.

"Daniel..."

He almost couldn't recognize her in her cloak and her hooded head. But when she looked up at him, her eyes wet with tears, he knew that he had reached his goal. "E-Emily ..." he stammered. But he didn't come further when she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. A little stunned by her attack, he began to pat her back helplessly. Everything seemed suddenly forgotten; Their heated argument in the hospital, the accusations, just everything. They were only two people who had finally found each other again after a long time. Gently, he cupped her chin and looked deeply into her eyes. "I thought I lost you again," he said softly, then lowered his mouth to her lips. A warm feeling of happiness flowed through him as she returned the kiss. Nolan hadn't lied. Emily truly loved him. He didn't know how long they had just stood there, embracing and kissing, but finally Emily stepped back and gave him a serious look.

"We can't stay here," she said, looking around tensely. "If Aiden finds you here ..." She didn't finish the sentence.

"I'm not afraid of him. Let him come!" Daniel pulled the weapon, he had bought before his departure, out of his jacket pocket, that Emily could see that he was not defenseless.

"Are you nuts?" She pushed the gun back into his pocket. "You can't walk around here with a loaded gun! How did you even get through the security check?"

"I took the business jet," he explained, smirking. "This is clearly an advantage when you want to smuggle things that would otherwise be found at the security control." He looked at her worried. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

Emily nodded. "The surgical cut has healed well. They took good care of me." She caressed his cheek tenderly. "What about you? I know you were in jail. Aiden showed me the news article."

"That bastard!" Daniel clenched his hands to fists. "I'll kill him, if he laid a finger on you!"

"Stop it!" She reached for his arm. "He didn't do me any harm. He never would do that. He ... still has feelings for me."

"Yeah..." Daniel clenched his jaw. "Nolan told me everything," he said. "You and Aiden and your marvelous plan to start a new life on the Maldives." He rolled his eyes sarcastically. "All the time I had this odd feeling that there was more between you and him. But you laughed at me, told me that I was just imagining things."

"I'm sorry." She lowered her head guiltily. "I've done a lot of bad things that I regret now." She reached for his hand. "The most important thing is that I'm a different person now. I don't love Aiden anymore! I had the choice, and I chose you, Daniel!" she said urgently.

 _Just as Nolan predicted,_ Daniel thought. "Completely, without any regrets?" He asked doubtingly.

"If you talk about our wedding day and the shooting, then yes, I've forgiven you." She nodded, then wrapped her arms around his neck again. "What do I have to do to make you believe and trust me again?"

"A kiss wouldn't be bad for the start," he grinned, bending down to her, until their lips found each other again.

"I have to go back now," she said after interrupting the passionate kiss.

"Why don't we wait for the next ferry and then disappear together?" He suggested.

Emily shook her head regretfully. "I can't. Nolan and Charlotte are on their way," she confessed.

"What?" Daniel shouted, looking at her bewildered. "That Nolan would follow me is no surprise, but Charlotte...?"

"Do you get now why I can't just leave?"

He nodded. _Everything would have been so simple_ , he thought. But he could understand that she didn't want to endanger Nolan and Charlotte. Especially since he had learned from Nolan, what Aiden was capable of. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "And what am I doing now?"

"There is a hostel nearby. "Emily hugged him again. "You're safe there."

"And what about you?" He asked, frowning.

"Nothing's going to happen to me. As long as Aiden is not suspicious, everything is all right. I just hope he won't get suspicious before Nolan and Charlotte show up here."

"I have a bad feeling about this." He reached for her hand. "Promise me to be careful!"

Instead of an answer, she pulled him closer and kissed him gently. "I won't do anything that will threaten our future," she promised, breaking away from him. "And now go! You can find the way to the hostel on your map."

Reluctantly, he let her go and then looked at his map. Since the island was not very big, he quickly found what he was looking for. Sighing, he folded the map and set off to find the only hostel on the island.


	45. Threat

**Rebun Island, Japan**

Emily was still on cloud nine when she returned to the training camp. She could hardly believe her luck that Daniel had forgiven her after her accusations at the hospital. In theory, they had even ended their relationship if this was possible in the case of spouses. And she had forbidden him to see his own son. The worst revenge act, probably at all. And she hadn't planned to pursue her feud against him. But now, after they had spoken, she hoped that there would be a shared future for them and Julian. Julian, her little innocent darling, who probably thought she had no interest in him because she never visited him. She bit her thumb to stop the sobbing. Her face was still moist with tears when she pushed open the door to her room and then froze. "Aiden ..." she said with a slightly trembling voice, as she saw him sitting on her bed. Her heart began to throb more quickly, not with joy, but with fear that he might know where she had been. _So Ava's plan hadn't worked, to distract him,_ she thought, as she stepped slowly to the bed.

"Where have you been?" He demanded.

Emily shrank back. _When did it start that I fear him?_ she thought. This was the man with whom she had a serious relationship before August 8th. But this Aiden was a stranger to her.

"I ..." She moistened her dry lips. "... made a little walk," she lied.

"Walk?" He looked at her with a frown. "It's freezing cold outside. And you're still weak. You shouldn't walk around alone."

"There was no one else." She shrugged helplessly. "And I was tired of lying around."

He nodded. "From now on, you'll tell me before you're out on the island alone!"

His commanding demeanor created defiance in her. "Stop bullying me!" she said furiously. "I am not your slave, Aiden! Bad enough that you kidnapped me. Now you want to tell me what I have to do?"

He sighed and reached out for her. "Come here!" He asked with a silky voice.

Confused and at the same time suspicious, she eyed his hand. She didn't know where his sudden change of mood came from. Hesitantly, she gave him her hand and sat down on the bed. A mistake, as it turned out immediately, when he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer that he could put his lips to her neck.

"Aiden, don't ...!" She tried to push him away, but he was stronger. For a moment she wondered if he would go as far as to take her against her will. Tears of despair ran down her cheeks as she gave up resistance and endured his kisses and touches. But when she thought she couldn't bear it any longer, he suddenly released her and jumped up from the bed.

"You can't even stand my touch!" He breathed heavily. "What happened with the Emily who wanted to start a new life with me?" He began to pace nervously back and forth. "I only agreed to the marriage with Daniel because I knew it was part of your plan to destroy the Graysons. There was never any talk of affection or even love. You swore to me that you would live with me after your plans for revenge had been fulfilled!" He ran a hand through his short hair. "Lies, all lies!" He suddenly flung at her and reached for her neck. "Look at me!"

Trembling and with tears in her eyes, she looked up at him. She could see the pain mirroring in his eyes and suddenly felt something like compassion for him. "Let me go, ... please!" She begged weakly.

Abruptly he released her and closed his eyes briefly. "Tell me, what has changed?"

Emily didn't know the answer. She didn't understand herself how feelings could change so rapidly. Perhaps she had always loved Daniel, and had only suppressed her emotions because she had had to do it, because of her revenge against his parents. She remembered the first time with him, where the feelings had been real. Where she had believed that there would be a shared future for them. But her desire to take revenge and the hatred that came along with it was simply too vast. She had no choice. She had to let him go. Did that mean she'd never loved Aiden? She also had no answer to that question. Perhaps she had only believed it. Perhaps instead of love, it was only loyalty because they had pursued a common goal. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "I just know I can't live with you anymore." She cautiously laid her hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry, Aiden! I know how much you still love me. And after all you've done for me, it's not fair to ask you, but …" She took a deep breath. "Please, take me home!"

He looked at her for a moment thoughtfully. "To Daniel?" He asked calmly.

She nodded hesitantly. "To him and Julian."

He suddenly laughed scornfully. "Just over my dead body or his!" he said coldly.

His remark made her blood run cold. He couldn't know that Daniel was on the island. He was safe. And yet she noticed that suddenly an irrational fear seized hold of her. She saw how he unbuttoned his shirt and held her breath as she saw the scar that Daniel's gunshot had caused.

"Too bad he was faster. But I won't give him the opportunity to try it again. If we meet again, I will be the winner." He gave her a knowing look. "In two respects."

As he turned and walked away, she didn't feel relief, but naked fear. _I have to warn Daniel before he and Aiden coincidentally meet on the island_ , was the only thought that dominated her. She jumped up from the bed and carefully opened the door after she had made sure that he was really gone. Only then she stepped outside and run as fast as she could to her targeted aim.


	46. Showdown

**Rebun Island**

She was out of breath and the scar on her stomach ached as she arrived at the landing. She looked at the water and noticed another ferry coming to the island. She hoped it was the one with Nolan and Charlotte. Curiously she stopped and waited. Not for nothing she could find out soon.

"Emily, my God ... it's really you!" Charlotte burst out, putting her arms around her.

"Did you think I lied to you?" Nolan asked. "I told you she was on the island." He hugged Emily as well after Charlotte had released her. "Hey, Ems! Good to see you!"

"I'm glad to see you." Emily was struggling to hold back her tears. She couldn't believe they were all reunited, even if the circumstances were not exactly perfect.

"How are you?" Nolan looked at her worried.

"Good." She nodded. "But I have to go now ..." She looked at the two with a serious face. "Daniel is on the island, too. I told him to wait at the hostel."

"Then I'll come with you," Charlotte said firmly, taking Emily's arm.

"Can I accompany you?" Nolan grinned. "I hope Daniel didn't throw the keys to my car away. I would like to have it back."

"He's here with the private jet," Emily explained. "I think your car is still at the hangar at Grayson Global."

"Yes, I can confirm that," a voice suddenly said behind them.

"Danny!" Charlotte ran towards her brother. "I should be really angry for not telling me about your plan to rescue Emily."

"This wasn't really planned," he admitted. "I reacted more spontaneously." He glanced at Nolan with an apologizing look. "I'm sorry! I hadn't intended to steal your car. But the keys were just there, and I didn't know how to get to the hangar."

"With a taxi maybe." He rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter now. We are all here together."

Emily looked around anxiously. Just what she had wanted to avoid. She hoped that Aiden hadn't followed her. She took Daniel's arm. "I told you to wait at the hostel! Why didn't you listen to me?"

"Hey, it's okay." He gently put his arm around her shoulder and frowned as he noticed how tense she was. "What happened?"

"Aiden was in the room when I came back," she confessed hesitantly. "I tried to talk to him again, but he didn't want to listen. Instead, he tried …" She stopped the sentence in the middle as she realized what she almost had said.

"What did he try?" Nolan picked up the sentence and looked at her, sharply.

Emily lowered her head. "Nothing," she lied.

"Did he harm you?" Charlotte tossed in. When she got no response from Emily, she looked at her shocked. "Oh no ...!" she gasped.

"He ... he just tried to kiss me. That's all," Emily tried to play down the facts. She could see at their faces that they didn't believe her. She felt Daniel's grip tighten around her arm.

"If he did something to you, he'll pay for it!" he threatened.

"We're all together now," Charlotte interjected. "Don't we want to wait for the next ferry and then get out of here?"

Nolan nodded. "No bad idea." He looked at Emily to get a confirmation from her. "Ems?"

"We can take the business jet," Daniel offered.

"Or Nolan's Cessna," Charlotte chimed in. "Anyway, I think it's time to get out of here before anyone else realizes what we're up to."

Nolan looked at Emily with a thoughtful look. "You're so silent. Everything okay?"

"If I go now, I can never return," she said unhappily. "I can't even say goodbye to Ava. And Aiden …" She stopped and looked at Nolan with a sad look. "I don't know how things could get so out of hand that we're now enemies and no friends anymore. After everything we've been through together ..."

"... you owe me something." Aiden stepped out from behind a bush, holding a gun in his hand.

"Aiden ...!" Emily gasped in shock. The diffuse feeling of fear that she had felt the whole time had been confirmed. He'd actually followed her. She should have known. She knew him and his methods well enough. She had put herself and all the others in mortal danger!

"Put the gun down, Aiden!" Nolan said calmly, reaching out for him.

"Do you think you can still give me orders, Nolan? You are just an imposter as our little friend here ..." He pointed to Emily with his gun. "Nobody makes any conditions here except me." He grinned diabolically. "Because it's my turn to decide what will happen to all of you."

Emily glanced anxiously at Daniel, hoping that he was not so unreasonable to prove to Aiden that he was also armed.

"Please Aiden, let us go!" Charlotte looked at him imploringly.

"Of course," he said casually. "When I've finished, why I came for." He raised the gun and aimed at Nolan. "Should I start with you, or rather with you?" He changed the direction and gestured with the gun at Emily. "Or better," he corrected. "I think I'll start with you, Daniel!"

Emily felt her blood freezing in her veins. She remembered her conversation and the threat that he had made. He had never forgiven Daniel that he had shot him. But even more serious was probably that he had supposedly stolen his girl from him. She acted impulsively when she stepped in front of Daniel to guard him. "I'll go with you wherever you want," she said with a trembling voice. "But please, Aiden, don't harm him!"

"Really touching, how you whine for his life!" Aiden hissed scornfully. "That shows me that I made the right decision." He took a few steps around Emily and pointed his gun at Daniel. "This is because you didn't take my warning seriously to keep your hands off her! I told you you would regret it if you stayed married to her! You wouldn't listen, so you have to feel now …" he said, smiling coldly and pulled the trigger.

She didn't think but reacted spontaneously when she threw herself in front of Daniel, hoping to catch the bullet. She knew how it felt when the projectile smashed into the body, the pain spreading inside and how life slowly vanished. She was ready to die and closed her eyes. But when she heard a horrifying scream and opened her eyes, she realized that the bullet had found another target...


	47. Exitus

**Rebun Island, Japan**

He had no time to think when he saw Emily jumping in front of him, probably with the intention of receiving the bullet herself. It was milliseconds that would decide over life and death. He cast a desperate glance at Nolan, who understood and immediately reacted. He jumped towards Emily, grabbed her arm, and dragged her aside before the bullet found its destination. The force of the projectile, which was drilled into his chest, made him stagger back a few steps. But although the onset of pain almost took the air to breathe, he managed to pull his gun out of the pocket and pointed it at Aiden, who hadn't expected a counter-defense. At least this could be seen in his disbelieving facial-expression, before he fell lifeless on the ground, hit by Daniel's bullet.

He heard Charlotte's horrified outcry and gradually realized what had happened. If he had been acting mechanically before, he now noticed the tightness in his chest, making it almost impossible to breathe. He placed his hand on the spot where the bullet had hit him and felt something sticky and wet, his blood that constantly seeped from a deep wound and slowly stained his shirt and jacket. Before he slumped to the ground, he saw Emily running towards him. _She lives!_ Was everything he could think at that moment. It was worth to die by saving her.

The moment she knelt down next to him, he thought that he wouldn't witness his son growing up. He would never be able to hold his beautiful wife in his arms, tell her how much he loved her. He forced himself to keep his eyes open, although sleep seemed like a release at that moment.

"Why did you come back here?" Emily sobbed. "Why didn't you listen to me and wait in the hostel?" She pulled his head to her legs.

"How long does it take for a doctor to be here?" Charlotte asked in a trembling voice as she stared down at her brother with a pale face.

Nolan shook his head and pulled out his cell phone. "I'm calling a rescue helicopter," he said firmly and began to dial.

"Did you hear that? Help is on the way." Emily said desperately, pressing her hand against his wound. "You can do it!"

His mouth twitched slightly. "You ... promised ... no more ... lies," he whispered and was interrupted by a coughing fit.

"Don't talk!" Emily ordered as she wiped a trickle of blood from his chin that had come with the coughing.

Nolan walked over to Aiden and stared down at him.

"Is he ... dead?" Charlotte stepped up beside him, her arms wrapped around her body.

Nolan nodded. He knelt down and slid Aiden's eyelids over the stiff-eyed pupils.

"Where is the rescue helicopter?" Emily sobbed and looked at Daniel, who had closed his eyes. "No, don't fall asleep!" she said urgently, shaking him slightly.

He was so tired, too tired, to stay awake. Breathing became more and more difficult, and he felt his blood pumping out of him with every heartbeat. He reached for Emily's hand. "Tell ... Julian ... I ..."

"No!" Tears of despair ran down her cheeks. "You won't leave me alone! Do you hear me! You will fight and stay alive!"

He raised his hand and touched her cheek. "I ... love ... you ..." He gave up the fight, because he had no more strength. He would have liked to tell her so much more. He closed his eyes and fell into the redeeming darkness.

"No!" Emily's sobs and screams were reflected from the high rock walls. She began to yank at him helplessly until Nolan pulled her away from the lifeless body and took her gently into his arms.

"He's gone," he said quietly, while he himself had to struggle with tears. He looked at Charlotte, who was under shock, just standing there staring down at her lifeless brother.

"He mustn't die ..." Emily pressed her face against Nolan's chest while her body was shaken by convulsive sobbing. "How am I supposed to live without him?"

He stroked over her hair and back. "You still have Julian," he said softly.

They looked up as they suddenly heard the steady sound of helicopter wings. The rescue helicopter was approaching.

 _Finally!_ Nolan thought. But it was too late. They parted as the helicopter sank slowly downwards and then landed directly in front of the landing. He gently took Emily's arm. "Come, they take care of everything." He thought of bringing Daniel's body back to the States where he could be buried there. But before he could pass the order to the paramedics, he saw a ferry approaching the island again. He paid little attention. It was not until he heard Charlotte's exclamation that he looked up.

"Mom ... Dad?!"


	48. Miracle

**Rebun Island, Japan**

"Daniel?" With an outcry, Victoria ran towards him, realizing who was lying on the ground in front of her. But she didn't come far when one of the paramedics stopped her.

"Let us do our work, ma'am!" He said, taking her arm. "Step aside so that we can give the injured people medical help."

"But it's my son!" She tried to free herself from his grip, but Conrad came to his aid by gently pulling his wife aside and then taking her into his arms.

"Let the doctor do his work, Victoria," he said quietly, although he was also shocked at the sight. "He knows best what to do."

She leaned against his shoulder and began to sob. "Daniel..."

His colleague, who had first run to Aiden, shook his head slightly after checking some vital functions. "He's dead," he said regretfully, then looked up at Nolan. "Were you the one who called us?" And when Nolan nodded, he continued. "What happened here?"

"They shot each other ..." Charlotte confessed.

The emergency doctor, who was kneeling next to Daniel, exchanged a glance with his colleague and then turned back to his patient. When he suddenly leaped up and ran back to the helicopter, Emily came back from her trance-like state.

"What is it?" She looked questioningly at the doctor and was surprised when he showed up again with a large doctor's kit.

"Come here! I need you!" The doctor shouted to his colleague as he took a pair of scissors and parted Daniel's clothes until his upper body was exposed.

"He's alive?!" Nolan said disbelievingly.

The emergency doctor nodded. "His pulse is weak but palpable." He looked at his colleague. "The bullet hit the lung," he informed. "He's unconscious. We've got to take him to the helicopter and make a puncture to relieve the hematothorax. Otherwise he'll bleed to death."

"What?" Victoria asked, puzzled, who didn't understand what the doctors were saying.

Emily felt her legs suddenly gave way. Daniel was alive! She couldn't believe it. And even if he was in a critical condition, she trusted the doctors that they would help him survive. Tears of relief were running down her cheeks as she watched the emergency doctors putting Daniel on a stretcher and then taking him to the helicopter. It seemed to her an eternity before one of the doctors appeared again.

"For your information ...", he began and looked around. "We put him in an artificial coma so that we could puncture the bleeding inside and outside his lung. Fortunately, the bullet only hit the left lung and no other organs. But it looks very critical. We have to take him to a hospital as soon as possible. There are no hospitals specialized in thoracic surgery in this area of Japan, so we need to bring him back to the States. He needs surgery."

"But he'll pull through?" Conrad asked.

"At this point, I don't want to make any predictions. He lives, which in itself is a miracle. But with this kind of injury, you can never tell if there are other complications." He cleared his throat. "Are family members present?"

"Yes, I am his mother!" Victoria freed herself from Conrad's arms and went towards him. "I want to fly with him," she said firmly.

The emergency doctor frowned. "We can only take one person with us." He looked at Emily, who was still sitting dazed on the ground. "Are you okay?" He leaned over her and looked worriedly at her.

Charlotte went to her sister-in-law and put a hand on her shoulder. "She's his wife," she told the doctor as she tried to ignore her mother's annoyed look. "Emily should be with him."

The doctor nodded. "I agree. Even if he is currently in a coma, he will feel that you are there." He held out his hand to Emily and then pulled her up. "Go to the helicopter," he said quietly. "I'll be right there."

"To which hospital do you fly him?" Nolan asked.

"You told us on the phone that you are from Long Island. We'll take him to a hospital in New York. There he gets the best medical care."

Conrad took Victoria's arm again. "You heard him. The helicopter takes him to the hospital. We'll also fly back." They entered the ferry that had been waiting the whole time. "Charlotte, are you coming?" Victoria reached out for her daughter's hand.

"I'll go with Nolan," she said, and stood beside him. Again she could see disapproval at her mother's face, but she didn't care. She went to the helicopter and looked inside. "He'll make it!" She said confidently, squeezing Emily's hand. "We'll see you in the hospital." She looked after the helicopter as it took off and then disappeared on the horizon.

"And what happens to him now?" Charlotte asked, pointing to Aiden, when the ferry, with her parents on board, had cast off.

Nolan went to the corpse and looked down at him. "I'll see to it that he gets a proper burial."

"I'll help you." She nodded resolutely. "You said there was someone on the island who had been well-informed about all of this?"

"Yes, Ava." He scratched his head thoughtfully. "I know you want to go back as soon as possible, but I'd like to finish this first."

"Do you want to bury him here, on the island?"

Nolan nodded. "I think here is exactly the place where he belongs," he said thoughtfully. "Aiden once told me that Rebun was a place of magic for him. A place where the soul would be reborn."

Charlotte nodded. "I met him years ago and I thought he was quite nice." She shook her head slightly. "What changed him?"

"Love," Nolan said curtly. "He adored Emily. And he always believed that she would return his affection."

"Did she?"

"I think so," Nolan began hesitantly. "Then Daniel came between them." He sighed deeply. "I saw her slowly but gradually falling in love with him and couldn't help it."

"Why would you have done something about it?" Charlotte looked at him confused.

He shrugged. It was not the time to tell her the truth. Maybe later.

"Why did Emily hate the Graysons so much?"

The question came out of the blue and he had to hold his breath for a moment. "Who says she did?" He asked uncertainly.

"Daniel told me," she confessed. "And I've overheard a conversation from my parents, where they said the same."

Nolan closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them quickly. "I promise I'll tell you everything, but now we need to take care of Aiden, okay?"

She nodded hesitantly.

Nolan pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He discussed some things and then resumed. "I called Ava," he explained. "She's coming right here, bringing a few people to the reinforcement who can take Aiden back to the training camp."

While waiting for help, Nolan pondered about how to tell Charlotte about her parents' past and Emily's plan to destroy the Graysons. He looked up as she suddenly pointed between the trees.

"Look! They're coming!"


	49. Farewell

**Rebun Island, Japan**

"We are gathered here to say goodbye to Aiden Mathis. He didn't have many friends in his lifetime, but those who knew him will always remember him and keep him in their hearts." Nolan cleared his throat before continuing his speech. "A far too short life is coming to an end. A life with many highs and even more lows. A life that couldn't find its fulfillment in this world. But Aiden believed in the rebirth of souls. And here, on Rebun Island, he had found a place of tranquility and retreat that he had missed somewhere else. It was his wish to find the last peace here, on this magical place." He folded his hands and lowered his head. "Every soul that is ascended will be a light in heaven. Consoling, glowing, giving joy. Every soul that rises is ultimately a light of life." He looked up into the faces of the guests who had appeared at Aiden's funeral. "May he find as a light the life, that he couldn't find on earth. Amen!"

Charlotte rubbed her eyes and was amazed to find tears. She had hardly known Aiden. He had been an employee of her father and later of Daniel. But the rivalry between the two men because of Emily had made a change from allies to enemies, who had now tried to kill each other. She shivered. She hadn't wanted him to die. She wouldn't want that to anyone. But if she had to choose between Aiden and Daniel, she would have always decided for her brother's life. Blood was thicker than water. Perhaps it was just the atmosphere at the funeral or Nolan's profound words that she had to fight with tears. She looked at the small mound of soil on which a small wooden cross was placed. Aiden Mathis was laid to rest near the beach, under a big rock. She wondered how Daniel was doing, and whether he was going to survive this. She would talk about it with Nolan later. And not just that. She wanted to find out more about Emily's past.

"It's over. We can go now."

Interrupted in her thoughts, she looked up, confused. In fact, they were almost alone in front of the small mound. All the others had already left. Except for a young woman with long, dark hair, who now knelt down and touched the small wooden cross slightly with her hand.

"That's Ava," Nolan whispered to her.

Charlotte remembered that he had mentioned her. So she was the woman who had helped Nolan. And apparently she had also been a friend of Aiden, because when she rose, Charlotte could see tears glistening in her eyes. She took a step towards her. "My condolences," she said sincerely, and held out her hand.

"Thank you." Ava looked at Nolan. "You probably know him better than I do, but I'm still shaken about what he's done," she said softly. "The Aiden, whom I had known all those months, had been a different one. We were friends." She shook her head. "But I also saw what he was capable of. How hatred and vengeance had changed him."

"Yeah, I noticed that myself," Nolan admitted.

"I met Emily before she went to the States," she continued. "She was obsessed with the idea of avenging her father, just like Aiden. And I believe..."

"Her father?" Charlotte interrupted, looking at her puzzled. "You knew her father?

Nolan felt his heart missing a beat. Exactly this shouldn't have happened! But how should Ava know that Charlotte had no idea of Emily's past and her desire to take revenge?

"No, I didn't." Ava frowned confused. "She just told me about him."

"That's interesting, because Emily has never really talked about her family." Charlotte tapped her forehead thoughtfully. "Or wait a minute... I think she said they died when she was a child. A car crash …" She looked at Nolan, looking for help. "Yes, Daniel told me back then that they had died in a car accident."

Ava shook her head. "No, that's not true," she said, frowning. "Her father was murdered."

"Murdered?" Charlotte echoed, startled.

"Okay, I think it's time to go now," Nolan interrupted before Ava could reveal more secrets. "If we want to get the next ferry, we have to leave now." He reached out to Ava. "It was nice to know you," he said hastily. "And thank you again for your help." He wanted to turn away and leave as Ava grabbed his arm.

"Nolan, wait!" She loosened her grip slightly. "I'll come with you," she said firmly. "You were right. Taking revenge doesn't only destroy others but also yourself. I don't want to end up like Aiden. That is why I decided to put an end to everything. I think when I go with you, I have a good chance to start a new life, away from hatred and destruction."

He nodded mechanically as he could still feel Charlotte's confused and questioning gaze. He knew that if he allowed Ava to accompany them now, he would have to tell Charlotte about Emily's past sooner than later. A past that was inextricably linked with hers. Hesitantly, he stretched out his hand and took Ava's hand into his. "A good decision," he said slowly. "I'm sure you won't regret it." He glanced over at Aiden's graveside. "Farewell, my friend!" he said softly. And as they went back to the ferry, the red-hot sun disappeared behind the horizon.


	50. Bonding

**Suffolk County Memorial Hospital**

Emily had been in a trance-like state all the while during the flight in the helicopter, the arrival at the hospital, when they had brought Daniel in the OR and had made a check-up on her. Now she was sitting in the waiting area of the hospital, after the doctor had told her that she was well. There was no time to take care of her mental state, though they had offered her a tranquilizer, that she had refused. She wanted to have a clear head when Daniel would come out of the OR. But no one could tell her how long it would take. His injuries were severe. The thought of death was still present, even if they had assured her that he was stable. He had survived the flight in the helicopter after all. And he was young and healthy. A factor that could sometimes decide about life and death.

She closed her eyes and felt tears running down her cheeks. A glance at the big wall clock showed her that the doctors had already been working on Daniel for three hours. And there was still no end to it. She wished she could have done something instead of sitting around without a purpose. She had never been a particularly patient person, and this waiting was almost worse than her entire time on the island. Looking back, everything still seemed unreal to her. Rebun Island wasn't only a place where she had once sought shelter and help, she had also learned to deal with her emotions. And she had followed the path of revenge there.

Softly groaning, she leaned forward and buried her face in her hands. What had happened was her fault; Aiden dead, Daniel at death's door. The moment she had stood up for Daniel and had begged for his life, she had sealed his fate. She could see in Aiden's eyes that he would never leave her by choice. She had recognized the truth she had ignored for so long: he was obsessed with the idea of a shared future with her. And Daniel had only been a disruptive element, which he had to eliminate to get what he wanted: her. She had turned Daniel over to Aiden by publicly showing her feelings towards him. And her proof of love had almost cost him his life.

"Mrs. Grayson!"

Startled, Emily opened her eyes. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed that a nurse had approached. It was the young nurse who had brought her to Julian for the first time. Her baby! Suddenly she noticed her stomach tightening. "Is there something wrong with Julian?" She asked alarmed.

The nurse shook her head and then smiled. "Nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite. I have good news!"

Emily breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't stand the thought that something had happened to her baby, while his father was already struggling for his life in the OR.

"We could release him from artificial respiration," the nurse said. "He's now breathing independently and has also gained weight a little since we started feeding him without a tube."

Emily didn't know whether to cry or laugh. She only knew one thing, she wanted to see him, hold him in her arms. Do things that all mothers do when they had just given birth. She would have to make up a lot of time with him. And she hoped he would forgive her one day that she hadn't been there for him in the first days of his life. "Can ... I see him?" She asked with tearful eyes.

"Of course." The nurse nodded. "That's why I'm here, to bring you to him."

Twenty minutes later, Emily was sitting in an armchair, holding her son in her arm for the first time. He was wrapped in a soft blanket and made munching noises.

"He's hungry," the nurse said smiling. She went to a small table and took a baby bottle, which she handed to Emily. "Usually we feed them breast milk," she explained. "But in your case, we had to start with supplements, which he tolerates very well."

Emily suddenly remembered the pain in her breast during the milk let-down. Ava had been there to help her. How long had she been gone? Two or three days? She couldn't remember. "Can I still breast-feed him?" She asked hesitantly.

"We can try. And if not, then we express the milk and he gets it in a bottle." The nurse smiled again. "Either way. He won't starve."

Emily looked down at Julian, who had fallen asleep again after a short wake phase. She gently stroked his cheek, over his head to his nose and mouth. "He has the same nose and mouth like his father," she said thoughtfully, after she had studied her sleeping son thoroughly.

"That often changes," the nurse said and put the bottle back. She looked at Emily sympathetically. "I'm so sorry about your husband," she said with a serious face. "He'll make it. The doctors here are the best in their field." She gently squeezed Emily's shoulder. "I'll leave you alone with the little one now," she said, and left the room.

"I don't hope this will change," Emily muttered, then bent down to kiss Julian's forehead. She didn't notice that she'd been watched the entire time.

She hadn't planned to stalk Emily when she saw the nurse taking the baby out of his cradle and put him in his mother's arms. She should have turned around and gone, given mother and child the time to get to know each other. And yet she had stayed, watching her daughter-in-law through a small window leading to the baby's room. She remembered when she had held Daniel in her arm for the first time. The love she had felt for this little creature who would be depending on her forever and the other way round. A bond that only death could end.

She wiped a tear from her cheek. Not even death could change that. She saw Emily's shoulders twitch as she bent over her son. It was the love that they both felt for their children, that joined them as mothers, that she opened the door and entered the room. She watched as Emily looked up, her eyes wet with tears and she regretted her decision. She could see that she was frightened. And it was out of an impulse that she stepped to her daughter-in-law and carefully placed her hand on her shoulder. "He's strong," she said, referring to Daniel as well as to his son. Her heart skipped a beat when Emily took the sleeping baby and held it out to her.

"Would you like to hold him?"

Her throat was tight all of a sudden, with suppressed tears as she nodded and took a seat next to her daughter-in-law. When Emily laid Julian in her arm, she held her breath. She had blamed Emily for so much, and even hated her. But now, at that moment, when she held her grandchild in her arm, everything was forgotten. He was not only a part of Emily, he was also a part of Daniel. He was the next generation of Graysons. As much as she had disliked Emily as a daughter-in-law, she was happy about the outcome of their connection. She carefully stroked the soft fuzz on Julian's head and then looked up at Emily. "Thank you," she whispered. And at that moment she meant what she said.

When Conrad Grayson wanted to visit his wife later at the neonatal unit, he froze in place at the door and stared stunned through the small window.

"We shouldn't disturb them," the nurse said, who just came by.

Conrad nodded and turned away. With a thoughtful smile, he went back to the waiting room to wait for news of his son.


	51. Outlook

**Nolan's Mansion, Hamptons**

Ava stepped into Nolan's house and her escaped an impressive, "Wow, that's sheer madness! This is all yours?"

Nolan nodded, smiling. "You may not know that, but I'm one of the richest men in the country."

"Yeah, it seems so." She put her bag down. "You know, I was pretty wealthy myself, too."

"Really?" Nolan raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Ava nodded. "The short version for you." She took a deep breath. "Well, the reason I came to Rebun Island was that I wanted to get back what I'd been stolen from. I was the heiress of the famous Starling vineyards in Napa," she said. "But then I fell in love with the wrong man, and he took away all I had ever possessed. I went to Japan to learn the art of revenge. And there I met Emily. She didn't tell me much about her past, just that she wanted to take revenge on those people who had killed her father." She stroked a long strand of hair behind her ear. "These people were the Graysons, right?"

Nolan nodded. "Yes, they and a few others." He pointed to the seat group. "Let's sit down. This might take longer."

"Charlotte doesn't know what her parents did, does she?" Ava started the conversation and sat down.

"No, she doesn't," Nolan confirmed.

"I thought so. She looked at me warily the whole time. I could literally feel what she wanted to ask me. But I don't know anything about it."

"I do." Nolan rolled his eyes. "But I won't tell her until Emily gives me permission."

"What happened to Emily? Or is the question too upfront?" Ava looked at him expectantly.

"No, not really. You want to know everything?" He continued as she nodded. "Well, let's start from the beginning ..."

About an hour later, Ava was pretty much informed about Emily and her past as Amanda Clarke. "What a story!" She said impressed. "And I thought mine was interesting or that of the others who had trained on Rebun Island."

"I told you, because I think I can trust you. No one else can know about it." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, there are a few people who already know about it, as Jack Porter, who owns a bar in Montauk."

"Does he need someone to help him at the bar?" She smirked as she saw Nolan's perplexed expression. "I need a job," she clarified.

"No idea." He shrugged. "You can ask him." He cleared his throat. "But to return to our old subject ... I have repeatedly begged Emily to reveal her true identity, but she has refused it so far."

"I can understand her." Ava nodded slightly. "She now belongs to the family, who she wanted to destroy. She wants to start a new life with her new identity."

"Yes." Nolan nodded thoughtfully. "But sooner or later the truth always comes out. And then it can be too late."

"You saw what happened on the island," Ava said, frowning. "She would have given her life for her husband. She won't risk giving up everything, just so she doesn't have to lie anymore." She leaned back, sighing. "Now I understand everything much better. If I had known how complicated everything was, I wouldn't have told Charlotte that Emily's father was murdered. It's her father, too."

"Only that she doesn't know that Emily, or Amanda is her sister. She thought that the real Emily Thorne was her sister. And Emily didn't do anything to put the record straight."

"Phew, really complicated." Ava rose. "Can you tell me where this bar is?" She asked curiously.

"I can show you." Nolan also rose. "I haven't seen Jack for a while. Perhaps a good opportunity to pay him a visit."

"Talking about lying ..." She cleared her throat. "Please, don't tell anyone about my past, okay? Just like Emily, I want to forget about the past and start afresh."

"No problem." Nolan rolled his eyes. "I'm practically trained in telling the untruth." He looked at his watch. "And after our visit at the bar, I'll go to the hospital. Maybe there are some news about Daniel."

"You saved her life," Ava said thoughtfully. "If you hadn't pulled her away, she would have been the one who had received the bullet."

"And Aiden had killed his one true love " he added thoughtfully, then pointed to the door. "Let's go now. We can talk about it later." He took her arm and together they left the mansion.


	52. Mistaken Identity

**'Stowaway', Montauk**

Nolan entered with Ava and went to the bar. "Is the boss there?" He asked the young man, who worked as a temporary help at the 'Stowaway'.

"He's upstairs." The man answered, frowning. "Are there any problems? Are you from the health supervision?"

"No," Nolan grimaced. "Do I look like that?" He cleared his throat. "I've seen the sign outside that you're looking for a bartender in full time." He pointed to Ava. "She's interested in the job."

"Diego," the bartender offered his hand to Ava. "The boss will be glad. I'm only here for a few weeks. Then I'll leave. I just do the job to earn some money for my studies."

"What are you studying?" Ava asked curiously.

"Economic Engineering," he said. "I got a place to study in Washington."

"Sounds interesting." Ava looked around the bar. "Is this going well here? I mean, do many guests come?"

"It's quiet in the week. On weekends there are masses of guests."

"That's good." Ava nodded satisfied. "I don't want to just stand around here. With work, time passes faster..." She stopped in the middle of the sentence as she saw someone coming down the stairs. She felt her heart missing a beat. The man who came downstairs reminded her almost painfully of what she had lost. "Charlie ..." she muttered.

Nolan followed her gaze and frowned. "This is Jack Porter. He's the owner of the bar," he explained.

Ava squinted twice to get a clear view again. For a moment, she had thought to see her ex-fiancée. The same build, the same dark brown hair, slightly curled , the mustache ... But as he came closer and finally stopped in front of her, she realized that he had green and not brown eyes.

"Nolan?" Jack eyed him suspiciously. "I haven't seen you in ages. What gives me the honor of your visit?"

Nolan pointed to Ava. "Do you have a job for her?" he opened the conversation.

Jack turned to the young woman who was staring at him as if she had just seen a ghost. "Jack Porter." He held out his hand to her and pulled it back when she didn't react. "And with whom do I have the pleasure?"

Ava squinted again. "I'm sorry," she stammered. "Ava ... Ava Winters." She cleared her throat and looked quickly at Nolan. "I'm a friend of Nolan."

"She lives at my place," the computer expert explained.

"Okay." Jack frowned. "If you're looking for a permanent job, does that mean you want to stay here longer?"

Ava nodded as she hung on his lips. _Even the mouth and nose are similar_ , she thought. But she was sure Charlie was an only child. "Um ... yes, actually that's the plan," she replied.

"Good." Jack's mouth twitched. "Have you ever worked as a bartender?"

Ava shook her head. "Just waitressing. But I think this can be learned, right?"

"Sure you can learn that," Diego interjected. "I can teach you."

Jack nodded hesitantly. "Well, let's try it. You can start at the weekend. There's the most going on anyway, and I need any help I can get." He held out his hand to Ava, who hesitantly took it then. "I'll set up the contract, and we'll discuss it all the following weekend."

"Wow, that was fast," Nolan said as they had left the bar. "I thought he would do a job interview. But Jack seems to be uncomplicated. "He looked at Ava with a frown. "What's wrong? You've been so stand-offish the whole time."

She stroked a strand of hair from her forehead. "I told you that I fell in love with the wrong man, who then took away everything that was mine?"

Nolan nodded.

"His name was Charles Bay, and he and Jack Porter resemble each other."

"Does that mean you already dislike Jack because he looks like your ex-fiancée?" Nolan surmised.

Ava shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted.

He looked at her skeptically. If it meant what he suspected, it might not be a good idea that Ava would work at the 'Stowaway'. He gently took her arm. "Shall I bring you to my place, or do you want to come with me to the hospital?"

"Take me to your home." Ava stifled a yawn. "I'm really tired."

When he left her at the mansion and headed for the hospital, he wondered what the consequences would be for him that he had allowed Ava to live at his home. Would she be able to start a new life without lies and revenge? Or would the past catch up with her? Sighing, he stepped on the gas and drove to the hospital.


	53. Family

**Suffolk County Memorial Hospital**

"Before we get the patient out of the artificial coma, I would like to give you an overview of his condition," the doctor said, looking at Daniel's medical file. "Well, ..." he started. "The bullet fortunately hit only one lung, and no other, important organs, so that we were able to retain the function. We needed to remove a part of the injured lung, which won't effect him that much in his mobility after the lung had healed. He can certainly do sports again. However moderate and controlled. But we still have time until then. At the moment it's important that he gets rest." He cleared his throat and then continued. "Complications may occur after surgery. Therefore, we will keep him here for a while. Should re-bleeding occur, we can react immediately and provide him with medical care." He looked into the round. "Do you have any further questions?"

"Will he experience a full recovery?" Victoria asked, kneading her fingers nervously.

The doctor nodded. "After a certain convalescence time, quite sure."

"May we see him?" Emily asked hesitantly.

"We're going to stop the artificial respiration and wait for him to wake up by himself," the doctor said. "Normally it doesn't take very long. Most patients wake up immediately. Since he is still under the influence of anesthesia and painkillers, it can happen that he's still disoriented and doesn't immediately recognize you."

Emily suddenly thought of her own amnesia. What if Daniel didn't recognize her anymore? If he had forgotten everything they had experienced in the last few months? Her renewed approach, her declaration of love, his proposal of marriage, the birth of their son ... Though she reminded herself to be strong, she suddenly burst into tears.

"There, there, it's all right!" The doctor carefully put a hand on her shoulder. "That's just a temporary state. This is going to pass."

Emily looked up, surprised, as Victoria suddenly approached her. "These are the hormones," she said, nodding at the doctor. "Baby blues."

The doctor smiled. "Yes, of course. I had quite forgotten that you gave birth a few days ago. My mistake." He looked at Emily. "How is your baby?"

"Very good. He's now breathing on his own and even drinking from the bottle," Victoria interrupted before her daughter-in-law could answer.

"This is good news. Then you can take him home soon."

Emily wanted to reply, but Victoria was faster again.

"It's all prepared for him in the house," she said. "My husband and I have already hired a nanny. My daughter-in-law still needs rest after the exhausting weeks before and after the delivery."

"I'm fine," Emily interjected, but Victoria's reproachful look made her keep quiet.

"Of course the same is true for our son," she continued, unperturbed. "We hired a nurse for him as well who will take care of him 24/7."

"Well, then ..." The doctor cleared his throat uneasily. "... Then everything seems to be well prepared." He squeezed Emily's hand slightly. "If you would excuse me, please. I have to go to another patient." He turned to Victoria and Conrad. "I'll let you know when your son is awake. Then a nurse will bring you to him."

The whole time, Emily hadn't dared to say anything, but when the doctor had left, she couldn't hold onto her anymore. "You want us to move back to the Manor?" She asked, frowning at her mother-in-law. "Actually, I'd rather stay in the beach house."

"Good-gracious, no!" Victoria rolled her eyes. "You heard what the doctor said. Daniel needs a lot of rest and has to be careful and the same applies to Julian. Do you want to take care of your sick husband and you newborn son alone?" She shook her head. "You're completely overwhelmed. That's why Conrad and I decided that you move in with us until both are better."

 _Too kind_ , Emily thought. She suppressed her desire to roll her eyes. If she hadn't been aware of that before, she knew now. Victoria didn't leave anything to chance. She needed to have everything under control. But she didn't give up so easily. "It's nice that you care so much for Daniel's and Julian's well-being, but I think I can take care of my husband and son myself," she said with determination in her voice.

"Just for the beginning," Conrad interjected, who had been quietly listening the whole time.

"The first weeks or maybe months," Victoria clarified. "Until both are stronger."

"All right," Emily gave in. "A few weeks." She was too tired to fight Victoria and her know-it-all-manner. She had to admit, that she still felt rather weak and could perhaps use a little help. But she wasn't all alone. Charlotte was there, and Nolan not far away. When she needed help, she could count on these two as well. "I'm going back to Julian. Would you let me know me when Daniel is woken up?" She said tiredly.

Conrad nodded. "Yes, just go. I think it will take some time anyway."

"Should I come with you?" Victoria asked eagerly, but Conrad held her back. "Just leave her alone, Victoria," he said quietly but firmly, taking her arm. "We just sit in the waiting area and wait."

Emily gave him a grateful look and went back to the premature unit. Maybe Conrad was someone she could ask for help, too. At least it seemed as if he had the greatest influence on Victoria. Julian had just slept again after she had given him his bottle as a nurse approached her.

"Mrs. Grayson? I was assigned to tell you when your husband is awake."

Emily felt her heart beating faster with excitement and anxiety. She quickly put the sleeping baby back in his bed and then followed the nurse to the intensive care unit. The whole family had already gathered around Daniel's bed; Victoria, Conrad and Charlotte. But he looked at her when she entered the room. And when he smiled at her and whispered her name, she knew that she had made the right decision to leave the path of retribution once and for all. Throughout her life, she had longed for a family and a home after she had spent her childhood and youth in various children homes and had even been in the juvie. "Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts," she murmured, walking slowly towards the bed. She had found her home; With Daniel and his family.

* * *

 ** _This is the end of "The Choices We Make"._**

 ** _Thanks to all who have read and commented! :) If you want to know what will happen to the Graysons, Emily & Daniel, Ava, Nolan and Jack, just read the sequel "From Vengeance to Forgiveness", which I will be uploading soon._**


End file.
